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Anti-Depressant Link to Clostridium Difficile Infection
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May 10, 2013, 6:30:17 PM5/10/13
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Anti-Depressant Link to Clostridium Difficile Infection
May 7, 2013 — Certain types of anti-depressants have been linked to an
increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a
study in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine. Awareness
of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI.
CDI is one of the most common hospital acquired infections and is
responsible for more than 7000 deaths annually in the USA alone.
Several types of medications are thought to increase risk of CDI,
including anti-depressants, and given that depression is the third
most common medical condition worldwide a team from the University of
Michigan investigated the exact nature of this risk.
Firstly the team studied Clostridium difficile infection in people
with and without depression and found that people with major
depression had a much higher chance of CDI (a 36% increase) than
people without depression. This association held for a variety of
depressive disorders and nervous or psychiatric problems. Age and
family support also impacted risk of CDI. Older, widowed Americans
were 54% more likely to catch C. difficile than their married peers.
Just living alone increased risk by 25%.
Secondly they looked to see if there was an association between
antidepressant medication and hospital acquired CDI. They found that
use of most types of antidepressants did not affect CDI risk -- out of
the twelve drugs tested only mirtazapine and fluoxetine increased risk
of CDI, in each case the risk was doubled.
People who have been prescribed these types of anti-depressants need
to keep taking them unless otherwise advised by their physician. The
researchers stress that it is not yet known whether the increase in
CDI is due to microbial changes in the gut during depression or to the
medications associated with depression.
Dr. Mary Rogers who led this study explained, "Depression is common
worldwide. We have long known that depression is associated with
changes in the gastrointestinal system. The interaction between the
brain and the gut, called the "brain-gut axis" is fascinating and
deserves more study. Our finding of a link between depression and
Clostridium difficile should help us better identify those at risk of
infection and perhaps, encourage exploration of the underlying brain-
gut mechanisms involved."
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Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BioMed Central
Limited.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130507061048.htm
May 7, 2013 — Certain types of anti-depressants have been linked to an
increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a
study in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine. Awareness
of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI.
CDI is one of the most common hospital acquired infections and is
responsible for more than 7000 deaths annually in the USA alone.
Several types of medications are thought to increase risk of CDI,
including anti-depressants, and given that depression is the third
most common medical condition worldwide a team from the University of
Michigan investigated the exact nature of this risk.
Firstly the team studied Clostridium difficile infection in people
with and without depression and found that people with major
depression had a much higher chance of CDI (a 36% increase) than
people without depression. This association held for a variety of
depressive disorders and nervous or psychiatric problems. Age and
family support also impacted risk of CDI. Older, widowed Americans
were 54% more likely to catch C. difficile than their married peers.
Just living alone increased risk by 25%.
Secondly they looked to see if there was an association between
antidepressant medication and hospital acquired CDI. They found that
use of most types of antidepressants did not affect CDI risk -- out of
the twelve drugs tested only mirtazapine and fluoxetine increased risk
of CDI, in each case the risk was doubled.
People who have been prescribed these types of anti-depressants need
to keep taking them unless otherwise advised by their physician. The
researchers stress that it is not yet known whether the increase in
CDI is due to microbial changes in the gut during depression or to the
medications associated with depression.
Dr. Mary Rogers who led this study explained, "Depression is common
worldwide. We have long known that depression is associated with
changes in the gastrointestinal system. The interaction between the
brain and the gut, called the "brain-gut axis" is fascinating and
deserves more study. Our finding of a link between depression and
Clostridium difficile should help us better identify those at risk of
infection and perhaps, encourage exploration of the underlying brain-
gut mechanisms involved."
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Tweet
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Share on stumbleupon Share on linkedin Share on pinterest_share Share
on blogger Share on digg Share on delicious Share on newsvine |
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BioMed Central
Limited.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130507061048.htm
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