Spontaneous Ejaculation Due to Duloxetine: A Case Report

ABSTRACT Ejaculation is controlled by both the sympathetic and parasympathetic system and consists of an emission and expulsion phase. Ejaculation latency time is regulated by the sympathetic system. Hypothetically, by reducing ejaculatory latency time, spontaneous ejaculation can occur. Extending the duration of ejaculation is a well-known side effect of antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors. Adrenergic drugs are sometimes used as treatment for delayed ejaculation. A spontaneous ejaculation due to the use of these drugs has rarely been reported. Although most reports of spontaneous ejaculations are related to the use of venlafaxine and reboxetine, this study is based on a case of the side effect of duloxetine.

Adjunctive vortioxetine for SSRI-resistant major depressive disorder: a real-world chart review study

Objective: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the cornerstone of treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, non-response is common, often necessitating combination strategies. The present study assessed the efficacy of vortioxetine as an add-on therapy in patients with SSRI-resistant MDD. Methods: The charts of 36 adult outpatients with DSM-IV-TR MDD who had not achieved a response after at least 8 weeks of treatment with an SSRI were reviewed retrospectively. Subjects were treated with vortioxetine (5-20 mg/day) for 8 weeks added to the current SSRI. The main outcome measures were change from baseline in total Hamilton Scale for Depression (HAM-D) score and the rate of response (a 50% or greater reduction in HAM-D score and a Clinical Global Impression ‐ Improvement module [CGI-I] score of 1 or 2 at endpoint). HAM-D scores ≤ 7 were considered as remission. Additional outcome measures included the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI). Results: 32 patients completed the 8 weeks of treatment. At 8 weeks, a significant reduction in HAM-D score was observed (p ≤ 0.001), with response obtained by 41.7% and remission by 33.3% of patients. Significant reductions in SHAPS and SSI were also observed (p ≤ 0.001 for both scales). Conclusions: Adjunctive vortioxetine may be useful and well-tolerated in stage I treatment-resistant depression. However, the limitations of this study (such as small sample size, absence of randomization and control group, retrospective design, etc.) must be considered.

Assessment of sleep quality of patients with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder during remission: a case-control study

Abstract Background Sleep disorders are common in psychiatric diseases. Panic disorder (PD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are two major anxiety disorders that are associated with sleep disorders. Objective We hypothesized that poor sleep quality continues in PD and GAD during remission. Therefore, in this study we aimed to compare the sleep quality of patients with PD and GAD to that of healthy controls. Methods The study included patients with PD (n = 42) and GAD (n = 40) who had been in remission for at least 3 months and healthy control volunteers (n = 45). The patients were administered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results The total PSQI scores of the GAD group were significantly increased in comparison to those of the PD (p = 0.009) and control (p < 0.001) groups. The rate of poor sleep quality in GAD during remission (77.5%) was greater than that of the PD (47.6%) and control (51.1%) groups (p = 0.011). Discussion GAD is a chronic and recurrent disease. In this study, it was found that the deterioration in sleep quality of patients with GAD may continue during remission. In the follow-up and treatment of patients, it is appropriate to question about sleep symptoms and to plan interventions according to these symptoms.

La depresión: un desafío en la práctica médica general / La depresión: un desafío en la práctica médica general

Asociada o no a una enfermedad orgánica, la depresión tiene gran prevalencia en la práctica médica pero es subdiagnosticada. El trastorno del ánimo suele coexistir con variadas quejas somáticas y dolores crónicos, configurando síndromes mixtos con un diagnóstico diferencial complejo. En este artículo se describen distintas presentaciones clínicas de la depresión en medicina general, con énfasis en los estados depresivos atípicos, depresiones enmascaradas muy relevantes por su frecuencia y consecuencias: depresión posquirúrgica, cuadros dolorosos crónicos como cefaleas o lumbago, la fatiga crónica y la fibromialgia. Solo el reconocimiento y diagnóstico de la depresión subyacente posibilitará la implementación de las adecuadas intervenciones terapéuticas. Se revisan también algunas recomendaciones para el uso de antidepresivos en atención primaria y la eventual consulta psiquiátrica. (AU)

Associated or not with an organic disease, depression has a high prevalence in medical practice but is underdiagnosed. The mood disorder usually coexists with varied somatic complaints and chronic pain, forming mixed syndromes with a complex differential diagnosis. This article describes different clinical presentations of depression in general medicine, with emphasis on atypical depressive states, masked depressions very relevant for their frequency and consequences: post-surgical depression, chronic painful conditions such as headaches or lumbago, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Only the recognition and diagnosis of the underlying depression will enable the implementation of appropriate therapeutic interventions. Some recommendations for the use of antidepressant drugs in primary care and the eventual psychiatric consultation are also reviewed. (AU)

Addressing the Side Effects of Contemporary Antidepressant Drugs: A Comprehensive Review / 전남의대학술지

Randomized trials have shown that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) have better safety profiles than classical tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). However, an increasing number of studies, including meta-analyses, naturalistic studies, and longer-term studies suggested that SSRIs and SNRIs are no less safe than TCAs. We focused on comparing the common side effects of TCAs with those of newer generation antidepressants including SSRIs, SNRIs, mirtazapine, and bupropion. The main purpose was to investigate safety profile differences among drug classes rather than the individual antidepressants, so studies containing comparison data on drug groups were prioritized. In terms of safety after overdose, the common belief on newer generation antidepressants having fewer side effects than TCAs appears to be true. TCAs were also associated with higher drop-out rates, lower tolerability, and higher cardiac side-effects. However, evidence regarding side effects including dry mouth, gastrointestinal side effects, hepatotoxicity, seizure, and weight has been inconsistent, some studies demonstrated the superiority of SSRIs and SNRIs over TCAs, while others found the opposite. Some other side effects such as sexual dysfunction, bleeding, and hyponatremia were more prominent with either SSRIs or SNRIs.

Randomized controlled trials of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor in treating major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of efficacy and acceptability

New generation antidepressant therapies, including serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs), were introduced in the late 1980s; however, few comprehensive studies have compared the benefits and risks of various contemporary treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD) in young patients. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases was conducted from 1970 to January 2015. Only clinical trials that randomly assigned one SNRI or placebo to patients aged 7 to 18 years who met the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder were included. Treatment success, dropout rate, and suicidal ideation/attempt outcomes were measured. Primary efficacy was determined by pooling the risk ratios (RRs) of treatment response and remission. Acceptability was determined by pooling the RRs of dropouts for all reasons and for adverse effects as well as suicide-risk outcomes. Five trials with a total of 973 patients were included. SNRIs were not significantly more effective than placebo for treatment response but were for remission. The comparison of patients taking SNRIs that dropped out for all reasons and those taking placebo did not reach statistical significance. Significantly more patients taking SNRIs dropped out for adverse effects than those taking placebo. No significant difference was found in suicide-related risk outcomes. SNRI therapy does not display a superior efficacy and is not better tolerated compared to placebo in these young patients. However, duloxetine has a potential beneficial effect for depression in young populations, showing a need for further research.

Efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing beyond complex post traumatic stress disorder: a case study of EMDR in Pakistan

To demonstrate the efficacy of EMDR in complex multiple psychological trauma after failed drug treatment from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [SSRI] in a diagnosed case of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]. Single participant of this case study, a sitting session judge of judicial governmental scaffold reported to this mental health tertiary care facility at his own accord with features of intense anxiety, depression, maladjustment issues and post- traumatic stress for a duration of several months. As a partial responder to full trial of SSRI he was enrolled for EMDR therapy to address his symptoms of intense anxiety, panic attacks, being overwhelmingly fearful, depressed, low self-esteem, inappropriate feelings of guilt, flashbacks, avoidance, nightmares, hyper-arousal and inability to perform as a judicial head in active war stricken area of northern Pakistan. Complete psychiatric evaluation was carried out and after the discontinuation of SSRIs he was scored on Impact of Event Scale [IES]. He fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PTSD as evaluated by the English version of the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV administered once before commencement of EMDR. Safe place of the client was established and 8 staged protocol of EMDR was started with him. Multiple EMDR sessions were conducted. The case presented in this paper had multiple psychological trauma forms and failed drug treatment and yet it was observed that EMDR provided marked improvement in all the domains of his deficits and this was at a prompt speed as compared to cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT] which usually takes longer duration of therapy to achieve similar results. EMDR provides marked improvement in all domains of complex mental trauma and traumatic memories. Improvement attained was prompt and enduring as compared to other forms of established therapies and drug treatment indicating permanent changes happening at neurobiological levels of brain