Citalopram in children and adolescents with depression or anxiety.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of citalopram in children and adolescents.

METHOD:

Retrospective chart review of 17 outpatients treated with citalopram at a tertiary care center. Subjects were diagnosed with a depressive or anxiety disorder with or without comorbidities and may have received concurrent medications. The primary outcome measure was the Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale (CGI-I). Secondary outcome measures were the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, and Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). Adverse effects were assessed via chart documentation.

RESULTS:

Patients were treated with a mean citalopram dose of 22.4 +/- 7.3 mg for 12 weeks. Thirteen patients (76%) had CGI-I scores </=2: 8 of 12 patients with depression and 5 of 5 patients with an anxiety disorder. The mean time to response was 7.6 +/- 3.6 weeks. Additionally, 6 of 8 patients had >/=50% reduction from baseline CDRS-R score, with 3 patients (38%) meeting criteria for remission. Three of 4 patients had a >50% reduction for baseline SCARED-parent score. Overall, adverse effects appeared minor and transient. One patient discontinued citalopram due to intolerable adverse effects, and 1 patient required dose reduction.

CONCLUSIONS:

Citalopram appears to be effective and well tolerated in this group of children and adolescents with depressive or anxiety disorders and a high degree of comorbidity. Controlled studies in this patient population are indicated.

• Authors: Jennifer L Baumgartner, Graham J Emslie, M Lynn Crismon
• Journal: The Annals of pharmacotherapy (Ann Pharmacother) Vol. 36 Issue 11 Pg. 1692-7 (Nov 2002) ISSN: 1060-0280 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12398561 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
• Citalopram

Topics

• Adolescent
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation (therapeutic use)
• Anxiety (classification, drug therapy)
• Child
• Citalopram (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Comorbidity
• Depressive Disorder (classification, drug therapy)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Retrospective Studies
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome