Randomised trial, 2008
Can adding aripiprazole to an antidepressant help premenstrual violence?
A single 38-year-old woman with major depression and severe premenstrual violence improved when aripiprazole was added to her SSRI. However, this is only one case, so we cannot be confident it works for other women.
What they did
This describes one woman with major depression and severe premenstrual irritability and uncontrollable violence. She was not improving even when her SSRI dose was increased, so doctors added aripiprazole during her luteal phase.
What they found
Adding aripiprazole during the luteal phase successfully treated her premenstrual violence. The doctors believe the combination worked through both serotonin and dopamine pathways in the brain.
What it means for you
This single case suggests combining an SSRI with aripiprazole might help women with severe premenstrual violence who do not respond to SSRI alone. Large double-blind placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm this approach.
1
Number of women in this case
38
Age of the woman
About the study
- Original title
- Effective treatment of premenstrual violence in major depression: augmentation with aripiprazole
- Authors
- Yao YC, Chiang PH, Hsiao MC et al.
- Journal
- Chang Gung medical journal
- Year
- 2008
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- Aripiprazole added during luteal phase to SSRI
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18935799/
Topics
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