Paroxetine treatment of primary insomnia in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to test the efficacy of paroxetine for primary insomnia in older adults.


METHODS
Adults over age 55 with primary insomnia were randomly assigned to six weeks of double-blind treatment with paroxetine (N = 14) or placebo (N = 13). Outcome measures included persistence or resolution of insomnia; weekly diary measures of sleep quality, daytime alertness, and mood; and pre-/postpolysomnographic measures of sleep latency, wake time after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency.


RESULTS
Although weekly diary-based measures showed improved subjective sleep quality, daytime alertness, and mood with paroxetine, the authors observed no effect on sleep efficiency or categorical response rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Paroxetine appears to be ineffective for treating primary insomnia in old age.
Reynolds
Charles F
CF
Advanced Center for Interventions and Services Research for Late-Life Mood Disorders (ACISR/LLMD) and the John A. Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Reynoldscf@upmc.edu
Buysse
Daniel J
DJ
Miller
Mark D
MD
Pollock
Bruce G
BG
Hall
Martica
M
Mazumdar
Sati
S
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017286:Polysomnography; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure
D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors