Short-term treatment of obesity with fluoxetine as a supplement to a low calorie diet.
BACKGROUND
Inhibitors of serotonin re-uptake including fluoxetine have generally been successful in inducing modest but statistically significant weight reductions in clinical trials. However, there are few published trials with serotonin re-uptake inhibitors in obesity therapy on Asians. This study aimed to assess the effect of fluoxetine as an adjunct therapy to a low calorie diet in the obese Taiwanese population.


METHODS
Sixty healthy obese subjects [body weight > 130% of ideal body weight (IBW)] were instructed to follow a low calorie diet. All subjects were randomized to receive fluoxetine 60 mg once daily with diet or diet only for 12 weeks.


RESULTS
The mean total body weight reduction at the end of the study was significantly greater in the fluoxetine group than in the diet group (mean +/- S.E., -5.75 +/- 0.69 vs. -3.06 +/- 0.59 kg, p = 0.008). The body weight reduction in the first 4 weeks and second 4 weeks were greater in the fluoxetine group and they were statistically significant (mean +/- S.E., 1st 4 weeks: -2.57 +/- 0.34 vs. -1.24 +/- 0.22 kg, p = 0.0033; 2nd 4 weeks: -1.90 +/- 0.25 vs. -0.9 +/- 0.35 kg, p = 0.0226). In the third 4 weeks, the weight reduction in the fluoxetine group was still greater, but it was not statistically significantly (mean +/- S.E., third 4 weeks: -1.21 +/- 0.34 vs. -0.73 +/- 0.25 kg, p = 0.299). More symptoms of anorexia and nausea were noted in the fluoxetine group. The other side effects noted in the fluoxetine group were usually mild and tolerable.


CONCLUSIONS
Fluoxetine is effective, well tolerated and relatively safe in the short-term treatment of obesity in the Taiwanese population when added to a low calorie diet.
Huang
C C
CC
Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Chian
C Y
CY
Lin
J D
JD
D000328:Adult; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D005473:Fluoxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors