Section - CAP Smart Takes

03. Effects of Long-Term Sertraline Use on Pediatric Growth and Development

Published on October 1, 2023 Certification expiration date: October 1, 2026

David R. Rosenberg, M.D.

Chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience - Wayne State University School of Medicine

Key Points

Sertraline had no dose-response relationship with safety outcomes related to height, cognition, emotion, or behavior in children and adolescents aged 6–16 over a 3-year period.
Statistically significant differences in weight and BMI between sertraline-exposed patients and those treated with psychotherapy alone were observed at 18 months. Yet, these differences were minor and faded in subsequent study months.
Although sertraline was generally well-tolerated over 3 years, regular monitoring of weight and BMI remains recommended for pediatric patients treated with SSRIs.

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Hi! David Rosenberg here for the Psychopharmacology Institute. In this CAP Smart Take, we examine the long-term impact of sertraline on cognitive, emotional, and physical development over 3 years in children and adolescents aged 6–16. This article details findings from the Sertraline Pediatric Registry for the Evaluation of Safety—SPRITES; outcomes stem from a long-term multicenter study. This study compares physical and psychological development in children and adolescents exposed to sertraline—with or without psychotherapy—vs psychotherapy alone in standard clinical care settings.

A total of 941 patients were recruited across 44 sites in the United States; 695 pediatric patients were exposed to physician-prescribed sertraline with or without psychotherapy, and 245 patients underwent psychotherapy only. Forty-six percent, which is 432 patients, completed the full 3-year follow-up. This study is noteworthy as it provides a long-term, 3-year follow-up of patients treated with the antidepressant sertraline and those not treated with sertraline or SSRI but

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04. Dissociative Effects and Response to Ketamine in Youth With Treatment-Resistant Depression

Learning Objectives:

Discuss the risks for reduced relapse for major depressive episodes in youth with continued antidepressant use vs placebo for 6-12 months.
Recognize the potential benefits and rare but severe side effects of antipsychotics in children with anorexia nervosa.
Recognize that there is no dose–response relationship in children and adolescents between sertraline exposure and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral outcomes as well as height.
Discuss the absence of an association between dissociative effects and depression improvement with ketamine or midazolam in treatment-resistant adolescents.
Discuss the potential efficacy of long-acting antipsychotics in adolescents with schizophrenia.

Original Release Date: October 1, 2023

Review and Re-release Date: March 1, 2024

Expiration Date: October 1, 2026

Expert: David Rosenberg, M.D.

Medical Editor: Melissa Mariano, M.D.

Relevant Financial Disclosures:

None of the faculty, planners, and reviewers for this educational activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose during the last 24 months with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

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This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of Medical Academy LLC and the Psychopharmacology Institute. Medical Academy is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians

Credit Designation Statement

Medical Academy designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.