title: A naturalistic study of paroxetine in premenstrual syndrome: efficacy and side-effects during ten cycles of treatment.
abstract: Eighteen women with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (premenstrual dysphoric disorder, PMDD) were treated openly with paroxetine for 10 consecutive menstrual cycles. Dosage was flexible (5-30 mg/day); also, the patients were free to chose between continuous medication and medication in the luteal phase only. The rating of premenstrual irritability, depressed mood, increase in appetite, and anxiety/tension was markedly lower during treatment with paroxetine than before, and this reduction in symptomatology appeared unabated for the entire treatment period. Sedation, dry mouth, and nausea were common side-effects but declined during the course of the trial; in contrast, reduced libido and anorgasmia, which were reported by almost 50% of the participants, were not improved with time. The results indicate that the beneficial effects as well as the sexual side-effects of serotonin reuptake inhibitors persist unchanged for at least 10 consecutive cycles of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sundblad
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wikander
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andersch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects; D001834:Body Water / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017374:Paroxetine