Duloxetine in obese binge eater outpatients: preliminary results from a 12-week open trial.
OBJECTIVE
Attempts have been made to find appropriate drug regimens to treat binge eating disorder (BED). Several reports have examined the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or mood stabilizers; both serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) have been reported to be useful for binge eating, but the available data are limited. We evaluated the efficacy of duloxetine, an SNRI, in 45 obese patients who reported binge eating.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with BED or binge eating with sub-threshold symptoms (s-BED) with high eating impulsivity, received duloxetine 60-120 mg/day for 12 weeks.


RESULTS
A significant reduction in number of binges/week was observed in BED patients; statistical analyses performed on the whole sample revealed significant reductions in scores on the binge eating scale (BES) and the Beck depression inventory (BDI), weight, body mass index (BMI), clinical global impression, and the bulimia scale of the eating disorder inventory-2. The reduction in BES and BDI scores was not statistically different between BED and s-BED subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Although preliminary, results from this open trial suggest that duloxetine may be a successful option to reduce binge eating and depressive symptoms in both obese BED and s-BED outpatients.
Leombruni
Paolo
P
Department of Neurosciences, Turin University, Pilot Centre for Eating Disorders, Italy. paolo.leombruni@unito.it
Lavagnino
Luca
L
Gastaldi
Filippo
F
Vasile
Alessia
A
Fassino
Secondo
S
D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D013876:Thiophenes