TABLE 1.

Comparison of Methodological Features in Four Studies of AEDs and Suicidality

VARIABLE:	GIBBONS ET AL. COHORT STUDY	OLESEN ET AL. COHORT STUDY	OLESEN ET AL. CASE-CROSSOVER STUDY	PATORNO ET AL. COHORT STUDY	VANCOTT ET AL. NESTED MATCHED CASE-CONTROL STUDY
Measure and control for prior suicidal behavior	Yes, excluded attempt in the year prior to index diagnosis	No	No	Yes, excluded attempt in the 6 months prior to study entry	Yes, time period not specified
Control for history of mood and psychiatric disorders	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Control for other factors influencing suicidality and use/selection of AEDs	Yes, study was restricted to bipolar disorder; demographic and medical factors	Yes, demographic and medical factors	Yes, demographic and medical factors; cases were their own controls	Yes, large list of demographic and medical factors	Yes, demographic and medical factors
Referent drug for comparison to AED	No drug, including lithium	CBZ	No drug	Primary = TPM Secondary = CBZ	GBP
Standardized approach to assessment of suicidal ideation or attempt	No	NA, only considered completed suicide	NA, only considered completed suicide	No	No
Considered full range of suicidality from ideation to completed suicide	No, suicide attempt only	No, completed only	No, completed only	No, attempt and completed only; plus violent deaths	No, ideation and attempt only

References: Gibbons et al. (27); Olesen et al. (28); Patorno et al. (29); VanCott et al. (30).

Abbreviations: CBZ, carbamazepine; TPM, topiramate; GBP, gabapentin.