Randomised trial, 2009
How long should women take SSRI antidepressants for PMS or PMDD?
Longer treatment helps prevent relapse for mild PMS, but symptom severity matters most: women with mild PMS relapsed one-third of the time regardless of how long they took the medication, while women with severe PMDD relapsed two-thirds of the time regardless of length.
What they did
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 174 women with either PMS or the more severe form PMDD. Half took sertraline for 4 months, half for 12 months. All women took 50 mg daily only during the luteal phase (after ovulation). After stopping the medication, all women were switched to placebo and followed for 6 months to see who relapsed.
What they found
During 6-month follow-up, 51% of the short-term treatment group relapsed compared to 33% of the long-term group. However, women with PMDD relapsed two-thirds of the time regardless of whether they received 4 or 12 months of treatment, while women with PMS relapsed only one-third of the time regardless of treatment length.
What it means for you
For mild PMS, taking SSRI for 12 months instead of 4 months helps prevent symptom return. For severe PMDD, even 12 months does not prevent relapse in most women. Initial symptom severity is more predictive than treatment length. This was a well-designed, reasonably large trial but tested only one dose of one medication.
174
women studied
50 mg
daily sertraline dose
33–51%
relapse rate by treatment
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual Symptom Severity Should Determine Time on SSRI
- Authors
- Joan Arehart-Treichel
- Journal
- Psychiatric News
- Year
- 2009
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 174
- What was tested
- Sertraline 50 mg daily during luteal phase for either 4 months or 12 months
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/pn.44.14.0026
Topics
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