Posted by jrbecker on June 6, 2003, at 14:53:52
This is the second study on the issue of sexual-enhancement from Gepirone. Of course, this news really has no bearing on how well it works as an AD. Subjectively, it is usually the opposite, the more castrating an AD, the better it works on my mood!
Gepirone may have positive effect on sexual function
Researchers found improvement in sexual function in a group of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) treated with the investigational drug gepirone-ER. In the eight-week, double-blind trial, patients were randomized to receive either gepirone-ER (n=101) or placebo (n=103). A subgroup of patients were administered the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning-Self Report (DISF-SR) at baseline and endpoint (gepirone n=65; placebo n=73). Patients in the gepirone group started at 20 mg/day, and at day 4 the dose was increased to 40 mg/day. The dose could be raised to 60 mg/day after day 7 and to 80 mg/day after day 14, according to tolerability and response.
In the overall intent-to-treat (ITT) group, improvement was noted on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-17) in the gepirone group at week 3 (p=0.013) and week 8 (p=0.018), compared to placebo. Significant improvement on the DISF-SR was noted in the ITT subgroup analysis, favoring gepirone over placebo (p=0.011). Significant improvement in sexual functioning was found among women in he subgroup (p=0.043), but while men showed a similar improvement in DISF-SR scores, this improvement was not statistically significant.
The researchers conclude, "Gepirone-ER may have a positive effect on sexual function in patients with MDD, as suggested by these results. The effect was evident in the combined group of males and females as well as the female-only group. Although the same beneficial effect was not seen in the male-only group, the low number of patients in this data set may have contributed to the lack of a statistically significant effect."
Davidson J, Gibertini M: Effect of gepirone-ER on sexual function in patients with major depression.
http://manisses.com/2online/PUAlert/PA.html#clinical%20Updates
poster:jrbecker
thread:231944
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030604/msgs/231944.html