title: The relationship between serum prolactin level and sexual functioning among male outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: a randomized double-blind trial of risperidone vs. quetiapine.
abstract: Examine the relationship between serum prolactin level and sexual functioning among male outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who were treated with risperidone or quetiapine. Male outpatients (N = 22, age > or = 18 years) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had experienced risperidone-associated sexual dysfunction prior to the study were randomized to 6 weeks of double-blind risperidone continuation (mean dose = 4.3 mg/day, SD = 1.2) or quetiapine switch (mean dose = 300 mg/day, SD = 66.7) treatment. Serum prolactin levels at baseline and at the end of week 6 (final visit) were obtained. The five-item Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) assessed sexual functioning at baseline and at week 6. A mixed linear model analysis of covariance, with baseline ASEX and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores as covariates, was used to examine the relationship between serum prolactin level (at week 6) and sexual functioning (at week 6). The raw (unadjusted) Spearman rank-order correlations (r(s)) were also used to assess the linear association between serum prolactin level and sexual functioning. For the risperidone treated group (n = 12), there was a significant positive relationship between serum prolactin level and ASEX total score (r(s) = 0.689, beta = 0.17, p = .04) and three of the five ASEX subitems (ASEX subitem 1, strength of sex drive, beta = 0.03, p = .04; ASEX subitem 2, sexual arousal, beta = 0.04, p = .04; and ASEX subitem 3, penile erection, beta = 0.04, p = .02). There was no significant relationship, for the quetiapine group (n = 10), between serum prolactin level and ASEX total score (p = .55) and any of the ASEX subitems (p's > .20). In this 6-week randomized double-blind trial, higher serum prolactin level was related to greater impairment of sexual functioning in male outpatients who were treated with risperidone, but not with quetiapine.
authors: Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Biostatistics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235-8828, USA.
authors: Paul A
authors: PA
authors: Nakonezny
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Byerly
authors: A John
authors: AJ
authors: Rush
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm / Q000187:drug effects; D010045:Outpatients; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D011388:Prolactin; D018967:Risperidone