title: Escitalopram treatment of trichotillomania.
abstract: With the understanding that serotonergic drugs might curb compulsive hair pulling, we conducted a preliminary investigation examining the effectiveness of escitalopram, a potent and selective serotonin uptake inhibitor, in the treatment of trichotillomania. Twenty women meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV-Text revision criteria for trichotillomania participated in a 12-week open-label trial of treatment with escitalopram 10-30 mg/day. Response was prospectively defined as meeting the following criteria: (i) clinician version of clinical global impressions-improvement scale score of 1 or 2 (very much improved or much improved), and (ii) > or =50% reduction from baseline in the National Institute of Mental Health trichotillomania severity scale total score. Sixteen individuals, who had at least one postbaseline assessment, were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Eight individuals (50%) were judged to be responders. Trichotillomania severity scale mean (SE) total score decreased significantly over time in the intention-to-treat analysis [15.4 (0.9)-9.4 (1.4); F=7.3; P<0.0001] and for completers [15.8 (1.0)-7.5 (1.2); F=10.1; P<0.0001]. Side effects were mild. Escitalopram treatment for 12 weeks led to significant improvement of trichotillomania in some patients in this small open-label trial.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC 27710, USA. gadde001@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Kishore M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gadde
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ryan Wagner
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: Mariko S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Foust
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors