Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) v placebo for depression in children*
| SSRI | Outcomes at ⩽12 weeks (number of studies) | Event rates | RRR (95% CI) | NNT (CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *AE = adverse events; NS = not significant. Other abbreviations defined in glossary.†Includes unpublished data. ‡Studies combined using random effects model; fixed effects model used for all others. §Data supplied by author. ¶Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor. | ||||
| Fluoxetine | Serious AE (1) | 0.9% v 3.6% | 75% (−122 to 97) | NS |
| Weighted RRI (CI) | NNH (CI) | |||
| Suicide attempt (1)† | 2.4% v 1.9% | 26% (−64 to 340) | NS | |
| Discontinuation (2)‡ | 5.7% v 6.3% | 19% (−82 to 685) | NS | |
| Paroxetine | Serious AE (2) | 12% v 4.4% | 155% (23 to 430) | 15 (8 to 50) |
| Suicide attempt/ideation (2) | 3.7% v 2.5% | 51% (−38 to 269) | NS | |
| Discontinuation (1) | 9.7% v 6.9% | 40% (−48 to 278) | NS | |
| Sertraline | Serious AE (2) | 3.7% v 3.3% | 14% (−61 to 232) | NS |
| Suicide attempt/ideation (2) | 2.6% v 1.1% | 143% (−52 to 1139) | NS | |
| Discontinuation (2) | 9.0% v 2.7% | 236% (27 to 793) | 17 (9 to 50)§ | |
| Citalopram | Suicide attempt (2) | 7.1% v 3.6% | 99% (−17 to 377) | NS |
| Treatment emergent AE (2) | 79% v 70% | 13% (1 to 27) | 12 (6 to 100) | |
| Discontinuation (2) | 8.6% v 7.1% | 20% (−38 to 135) | NS | |
| Venlafaxine¶ | Suicide related events (2) | 7.7% v 0.6% | 1277% (83 to 10261) | 15 (10 to 34) |
| Discontinuation (2) | 10% v 3.0% | 246% (30 to 821) | 15 (9 to 50) | |