Long-term changes in adiposity markers during and after antidepressant therapy in a community cohort
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Research on antidepressant-related weight changes over more than 12 months is scarce and adjustment for the effects of depressive episodes has rarely been applied. Accordingly, our aim was to assess the associations of the use of any antidepressants, subclasses of antidepressant and specific compounds prior to baseline and during a 5.5-year follow-up with changes in adiposity markers, and the effect of sex on these associations, with adjustment for multiple confounders including the effects of depressive episodes and their severity. Data stemmed from a prospective cohort study including 2479 randomly selected 35-66 year-old residents of an urban area (mean age 49.9 years, 53.3% women) who underwent physical and psychiatric evaluations at baseline and follow-up. Weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat were measured by trained nurses and information on diagnosis and antidepressant use prior to baseline and during follow-up was collected through standardized interviews. In the fully adjusted models, the number of antidepressants, mainly SSRIs and TCAs, used prior to baseline, was associated with a lower increase of body-mass index (BMI, β (95%CI) = -0.12 (-0.19, -0.05)) and waist circumference (β = -0.28 (-0.56, -0.01)), whereas participants treated with antidepressants during the follow-up had a steeper increase in BMI (β = 0.32 (0.13, 0.50)) and waist circumference (β = 1.23 (0.44, 2.01)). Within the class of SSRIs, the use of fluoxetine, sertraline or escitalopram during follow-up was associated with a steeper increase in adiposity markers. The associations of SSRIs with BMI and waist circumference were only observed when the SSRIs were used during the second period of the follow-up. Sex did not moderate these associations. Our findings suggest an increase of adiposity markers during sustained treatment with TCAs and SSRIs, which however return to normal levels after cessation of treatment. Hence, the benefit of long-term administration of these antidepressants should be carefully weighed against the potential risk of weight gain.
Source: Translational Psychiatry
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,412
Awards: Cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders in the general population: a prospective follow-up study, Cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders in the general population: a prospective follow-up study, G2601817178, G2957143966, G3248287424, Family study of specific subthreshold and threshold mood, anxiety, substance use and schizophrenia spectrum syndromes in the general population, Psychiatric disorders in 35 to 65 year-old residents of the city of Lausanne and their association to cardiovasular risk factors: a population based survey, G4288653450, G5531419334, G5599442719, G5735209081, G6715704539, G6927407676, G7262634952, Cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders in the general population: a prospective follow-up study, G7975901996, G8058067277, G8253295407, G8499801373
OpenAlex ID: W4401536392