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Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can inhibit platelet functioning 1 to 2 weeks after initiation, have been associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). However, understanding their contribution to UGIB is muddied by comorbidities, other medication use, and other possible confounding factors.
To account for such factors, investigators in Taiwan studied 5377 psychiatric patients (75% men) identified in a national database as having new-onset UGIB requiring hospitalization; 54% and 47% had lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety, respectively, and 43% had prior SSRI use. In the study's case-crossover design, each patient served as his or her own control. Researchers compared antidepressant use in case perio…