A long-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of the efficacy of fluoxetine for trichotillomania.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' objective was to determine the efficacy of fluoxetine at high doses for the treatment of trichotillomania in a long-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.


METHODS
Twenty-three adult chronic hair pullers agreed to take part in the trial, taking fluoxetine doses of up to 80 mg/day. The 31-week trial consisted of a 2-week washout phase, a first treatment phase of 12 weeks, a 5-week washout phase, and a crossover second treatment phase of 12 weeks. Sixteen patients (14 women and two men) completed the trial.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences between fluoxetine and placebo treatments for the measures of weekly severity of hair pulling, weekly severity of urge to pull, daily hair counts (or estimated hair pulled), or days of hair pulling.


CONCLUSIONS
The efficacy of fluoxetine in the treatment of trichotillomania was not demonstrated in this study.
Streichenwein
S M
SM
Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Thornby
J I
JI
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D015897:Comorbidity; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D010919:Placebos; D005473:Fluoxetine