Case–Control Study Investigating the Association Between Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Taiwan

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate whether use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) was associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: The case–control study was conducted to analyze the database between 2000 and 2013. Patients aged 20 to 84 years with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis were selected as the cases (n = 8593). Participants without pulmonary tuberculosis were selected as the controls (n = 43 472). Patients who never had a prescription for SSRIs were defined as never use. Those who ever had a prescription for SSRIs were defined as ever use. RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of pulmonary tuberculosis was 1.03 for patients with ever use of SSRIs (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-1.14), compared to never use. The adjusted OR of pulmonary tuberculosis was 1.00 for patients with increasing cumulative duration of SSRI use for every 1 month (95% CI: 0.99-1.00), compared to never use. The adjusted OR of pulmonary tuberculosis was 0.99 for patients with increasing cumulative dosage of SSRI use for every 1 mg (95% CI: 0.99-1.00), compared to never use. CONCLUSION: No significant association can be detected between SSRI use and pulmonary tuberculosis in Taiwan. No duration-dependent effect or dose-dependent effect of SSRIs use can be detected on the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis.