Risk of serious upper gastrointestinal events with concurrent use of NSAIDs and SSRIs: a case-control study in the general population

Abstract

Objectives: To study the risk of serious upper gastrointestinal (GI) events associated with the concurrent use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and different types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Methods: This was a nationwide, register-based matched case-control study on non-institutionalized residents of Finland during the period 2000-2004. Patient-cases with serious upper GI events (n=9191) were drawn from the Hospital Discharge Register, and individually matched controls (n=41,780) were drawn from the Population Register. Logistic regression was applied in the data analysis, and adjustments were made for various co-morbidities and the use of other drugs associated with the risk of serious upper GI event.

Results: The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of serious upper GI events for SSRI use compared to non-use of SSRIs or NSAIDs was 1.30 [95% confidence interval (95%CI: 1.13-1.50)], and the AOR for concurrent SSRI and NSAID use compared to the non-use of either drug was 4.19 (95%CI: 3.30-5.31). The AOR of upper GI events for the concurrent use of SSRIs with NSAIDs compared to patients using NSAIDs only was 1.57 (95%CI: 1.24-1.99). The respective AOR for traditional, non-selective NSAIDs was 1.77 (95%CI: 1.31-2.38), for semi-selective NSAIDs (nimesulide, nabumetone, meloxicam, and etodolac) 1.30 (95%CI: 0.76-2.24) and for COX-2 selective NSAIDs 1.33 (95%CI: 0.70-2.50).

Conclusions: The concurrent use of SSRIs and NSAIDs is associated with a moderate excess relative risk of a serious upper GI event when compared with NSAID use alone.