REDUCTION OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS WITH PAROXETINE IN COMPARISON WITH REFERENCE ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND PLACEBO

In order to determine whether paroxetine was associated with any incre ase in suicidal thoughts or acts all controlled studies of paroxetine were examined in a series of metanalyses. Paroxetine showed an advanta ge in reducing suicidal thoughts in all analyses compared with placebo . On the MADRS there was a significant advantage compared with active controls at weeks 1, 3, 4 and 6 (P < 0.01). There were significantly f ewer emergent suicidal thoughts on paroxetine compared with placebo in all analyses, and a significant advantage for paroxetine compared wit h active controls on the MADRS. A significant advantage for active con trols compared with placebo was seen only on the HAMD. In the analysis of the data from controlled studies and open extension studies of par oxetine calculated by patient year of exposure there were 2.8 times fe wer suicides in the paroxetine-treated group compared with active cont rol and 5.6 times fewer compared with placebo.