Impact of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the veteran population: 10-year risk outcomes

Aim: To evaluate the comparative risk of hip fracture or osteoporosis among US Veterans based on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposure. Patients & methods: A retrospective cohort study of eligible US Veterans Health Administration patients enrolled in 2003-2004 was performed to examine SSRIs' 2-, 5- and 10-year impact on bone health using multiple logistic regression. Results: Veterans on SSRIs were found to be 56.7% more likely over a 10-year period to suffer a hip fracture (risk ratio: 1.567; 95% CI: 1.464-1.676) and 34.6% more likely to develop osteoporosis (risk ratio: 1.346; 95% CI: 1.319-1.374) when compared with those who were SSRI naive. Conclusion: SSRI usage was associated with greater risk of hip fracture and osteoporosis over a 10-year period in the veteran population, with similar effect sizes to smaller studies.