ESTIMATION OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DESIPRAMINE AND THE RISK FOR SUDDEN-DEATH IN 5-YEAR-OLD TO 14-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

Background: Four cases of sudden death in children 12 years or younger during desipramine treatment were identified between 1986 and 1992. W e evaluated whether these events support the hypothesis that exposure to therapeutic doses of desipramine contributes to the risk for sudden death in otherwise healthy children. Method: The National Center for Health Statistics provided the baseline number of sudden unexplained d eaths in children 5 to 14 years old. Data from the National Disease an d Therapeutic Index were used to estimate the exposure to desipramine in children in the same age group. Since two of the four deaths were i dentified by 1987, we used the post-1987 experience as if it were a pr ospective period in which a causal association could be examined. Resu lts: The number of sudden deaths in desipramine-exposed children did n ot increase from 1986 to 1992 despite a marked increase in exposure. B y using 4 to 6 months as the average lifetime of a desipramine prescri ption and a baseline rate of sudden death of 4.2 deaths/million/year i n this population, the post-1987 period would account for 162,000 to 2 42,000 person-years of desipramine exposure. Although not statisticall y significant, this level of exposure corresponds to a relative risk o f 2.1 (95% CI = 0.5 to 15) to 3.1 (95% CI = 0.8 to 22). Conclusion: Al though, based on our estimates, the evidence for an association betwee n desipramine and sudden death in children aged 5 to 14 years appears weak, replication of our findings is needed with a more precise numera tor (total number of deaths) and denominator (the appropriate conversi on from drug appearance to actual exposure) before a firm conclusion o n this subject can be drawn. Until then, even if remote, the possibili ty of an association between desipramine and sudden death in children stresses the importance of assessing risks and benefits when desiprami ne is used in pediatric patients.