Association of Four Medication Classes and Non-suicidal Self-injury in Adolescents with Affective Disorders - A Retrospective Chart Review.

BACKGROUND

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviour is frequently observed in children and adolescents with psychiatric conditions. Affected individuals are regularly treated with psychotropic drugs, although the impact of these agents on NSSI behaviour remains elusive.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart review from clinical routine data in a large cohort (N=1140) of adolescent inpatients with primary affective and non-affective psychiatric disorders according to ICD-10 (mean age=15.3±1.3 years; 72.6% female). Four separate mixed regression models compared the frequency of NSSI between treatment periods without any medication and four medication categories (benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), high- and low-potency antipsychotics).

RESULTS

In those individuals with affective disorders as the primary diagnosis, periods without medication were associated with significantly lower NSSI/day compared to all four other medication conditions (benzodiazepines p<10

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of NSSI correlates with the treatment with a psychotropic drug in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Due to the retrospective design, it remains elusive to what extent psychotropic drugs might alter the frequency of NSSI in adolescents or if NSSI might indicate a transdiagnostic feature of more pronounced disease severity.

Informations de copyright

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Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

VE, MM, and LB report no conflict of interest. SKK is the scientific advisor of the GOLDKIND Stiftung. AH has been invited to scientific meetings by Lundbeck, Janssen, and Pfizer, and he received paid speakerships from AbbVie, Advanz, Recordati, Rovi, Janssen, Otsuka, and Lundbeck. He was member of Recordati, Rovi, Otsuka, Lundbeck, and Janssen advisory boards. EW has been invited to advisory boards from Recordati.