Strategies for managing sexual dysfunction induced by antidepressant medication

Rudkin L, Taylor MJ, Hawton KKE

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Summary

Strategies for managing sexual dysfunction induced by antidepressants

Antidepressants can have numerous effects on sexual function including altered sexual desire, erection difficulties and orgasm problems. This systematic review investigated the effectiveness of ways of managing such sexual dysfunction. Fifteen randomised studies which included a total of 904 participants who had developed sexual dysfunction whilst taking antidepressant medication were included in the review. Fourteen of these studies looked at the addition of further medication to the ongoing antidepressant treatment. In three studies with 211 men, adding sildenafil was more effective than placebo in treating antidepressant-induced erectile dysfunction. However the general lack of randomised data available limits the confidence with which any one strategy can be advocated.

This is a Cochrane review abstract and plain language summary, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration, currently published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009 Issue 4, Copyright © 2009 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).
This record should be cited as: Rudkin L, Taylor MJ, Hawton KKE. Strategies for managing sexual dysfunction induced by antidepressant medication. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003382. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003382.pub2.

This version first published online: October 18. 2004

Abstract

Background

Sexual dysfunction (including altered desire, orgasmic dysfunction, erectile and ejaculatory problems) is a relatively common side effect of antidepressant medication. These sexual side effects may compromise a person's lifestyle and result in a lack of compliance with the prescribed antidepressant to the detriment of the person's mental health.

Objectives

The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of management strategies for sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressant medication.

Search strategy

We searched the CCDANCTR (March 2003), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library issue 2, 2004), MEDLINE (1966 - June 2004), EMBASE (1980 - March 2004), CINAHL (1982 - March 2004), PsycINFO (1984 - March 2004) and the reference lists of articles. We also contacted pharmaceutical companies and experts in the field of sexology.

Selection criteria

Randomised controlled trials comparing the management strategies for antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction were included.

Data collection and analysis

Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. Study authors were contacted for additional information. Adverse effect information was collected from the trials.

Main results

Fifteen trials involving 904 people were included.
One trial involving 75 people with sexual dysfunction due to sertraline assessed changing antidepressant. Switching to nefazodone was significantly less likely to result in the re-emergence of sexual dysfunction than restarting sertraline (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15 - 0.6) and was not associated with any worsening of depression.
Fourteen trials involving 829 people assessed the addition of other medication while continuing the same antidepressant. Meta-analysis of two trials involving 113 men with erectile dysfunction found that the addition of sildenafil resulted in less sexual dysfunction at endpoint on rating scales including the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF; WMD 19.36, 95% CI 15.00 to 23.72). There was no significant difference in dropout rates between sildenafil and placebo. One trial found the addition of bupropion led to improved scores on the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire desire-frequency subscale (WMD 0.88, 95% CI 0.21 - 1.55). One trial found that the addition of tadalafil was associated with greater improvement in the erectile function domain of the IIEF than placebo (WMD 8.10; 95% CI 4.62 to 11.68). Other augmentation strategies failed to show statistically significant improvements in sexual dysfunction compared with placebo.

Authors' conclusions

The currently available evidence is rather limited, with small numbers of trials assessing each strategy. However, while further randomised data is awaited, for men with antidepressant-induced erectile dysfunction, the addition of sildenafil appears to be an effective strategy.

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