Randomised trial, 2009
How quickly does paroxetine reduce premenstrual irritability?
Very quickly. Paroxetine reduced premenstrual irritability within 14 hours, with significant improvement by day 3.
What they did
22 women with premenstrual irritability who had previously responded to paroxetine received paroxetine for 2 menstrual cycles and placebo for 1 cycle in a double-blind crossover. They started the medication when irritability had been intense for 2 days.
What they found
Paroxetine cycles differed from placebo as early as 14 hours after taking the drug, with significant improvement in irritability scores by day 3. Nausea appeared even faster at 4 hours but usually disappeared within 4 days.
What it means for you
Paroxetine works much faster for premenstrual irritability than for depression, explaining why women may benefit so quickly. Main limits: small sample and women had to have already responded to paroxetine.
22
women studied
14 hours
time to first effect
day 3
significant improvement
About the study
- Original title
- Short onset of action of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor when used to reduce premenstrual irritability
- Authors
- Landén M, Erlandsson H, Bengtsson F et al.
- Journal
- Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
- Year
- 2009
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 22
- What was tested
- Paroxetine vs placebo
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1038/npp.2008.86
Topics
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