Semaglutide-Linked Suicidal Ideation ID'd in Disproportionality Analysis

Significant disproportionality detected for semaglutide-associated suicidal ideation as adverse drug reaction

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Semaglutide-associated suicidal ideation has been identified in a disproportionality analysis, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in JAMA Network Open.

Georgios Schoretsanitis, M.D., Ph.D., from Northwell Health in Glen Oaks, New York, and colleagues examined potential signals for suicidal and self-injurious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists semaglutide and liraglutide in a disproportionality analysis. Participants were patients experiencing an ADR, which was suspected as attributable to semaglutide or liraglutide.

Overall, 107 and 162 cases of suicidal and/or self-injurious ADRs were reported between November 2000 and August 2023 for semaglutide and liraglutide, respectively. The researchers detected significant disproportionality for semaglutide-associated suicidal ideation (reporting odds ratio, 1.45), which remained significant for those coreporting antidepressant and benzodiazepine use (reporting odds ratios, 4.45 and 4.07, respectively) and compared with dapagliflozin, metformin, and orlistat (reporting odds ratios, 5.56, 3.86, and 4.24, respectively).

“We reported a disproportionality signal of suicidal ideation with semaglutide, but not for liraglutide, particularly among patients with coreported antidepressant use, a proxy for affective disorders (a notable exclusion criteria of premarketing clinical trials),” the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.