Source: Genetics  |  Posted 8 years ago

Reboxetine may prove beneficial for patients at risk for sexual dysfunction due to antidepressant side effects.

Such side effects may influence patient compliance, and must therefore be considered when determining therapeutic management, say researchers from Virginia's University in Charlottesville, United States.

They assessed sexual function in a randomised, multi-centre, 8-week, double-blind study of patients who were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder. The 450 patients were treated with reboxetine - a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine - a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), or placebo.

Sexual function was measured by the Rush Sexual Inventory, which was completed by both genders and administered at baseline, and weeks 4 and 8.

According to researchers, the "results indicated that reboxetine proved similar to placebo and superior to fluoxetine in its effect on sexual function." Patients in the reboxetine group experienced a greater degree of sexual satisfaction and during the study period women in this and placebo groups were able to achieve increased orgasm which decreased in patients receiving fluoxetine.