Treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder with sertraline during the luteal phase: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. 1998

S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
Department of Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., USA.

BACKGROUND The authors designed a randomized, double-blind, crossover study to assess the efficacy of sertraline in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) when given only during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. METHODS Thirty-one subjects were selected for a 7-month study period that included an initial 2 months of screening, 2 months of treatment with placebo or sertraline, 1 washout month, and 2 months of crossover treatment with either placebo or sertraline. Eleven subjects completed the study. Symptoms were monitored with daily reports using the Calendar of Premenstrual Experience (COPE). For each study phase, premenstrual COPE scores (7 days prior to menses) were examined using repeated measures analysis of variance. Scores were logarithmically transformed. Comparison of baseline scores between the luteal and follicular phases was examined using the paired t test. RESULTS Analysis of COPE results during the treatment periods of the luteal phase showed a significant treatment effect, with higher scores during the placebo cycles compared with the sertraline-treated cycles (p = .0052 behavioral, p = .014 physical). CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to demonstrate a significant response to a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor used only during the luteal phase. The authors point out the importance of this finding both in terms of economic cost of patients as well as how it may add to the growing understanding of the etiology of PMDD.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008183 Luteal Phase The period in the MENSTRUAL CYCLE that follows OVULATION, characterized by the development of CORPUS LUTEUM, increase in PROGESTERONE production by the OVARY and secretion by the glandular epithelium of the ENDOMETRIUM. The luteal phase begins with ovulation and ends with the onset of MENSTRUATION. Menstrual Cycle, Luteal Phase,Menstrual Cycle, Secretory Phase,Menstrual Secretory Phase,Postovulatory Phase,Phase, Luteal,Phase, Postovulatory,Secretory Phase, Menstrual
D008499 Medical Records Recording of pertinent information concerning patient's illness or illnesses. Health Diaries,Medical Transcription,Records, Medical,Transcription, Medical,Diaries, Health,Diary, Health,Health Diary,Medical Record,Medical Transcriptions,Record, Medical,Transcriptions, Medical
D010555 Personality Inventory Check list, usually to be filled out by a person about himself, consisting of many statements about personal characteristics which the subject checks. Edwards Personal Preference Schedule,Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,Indicator, Myers-Briggs Type,Inventories, Personality,Inventory, Personality,Myers Briggs Type Indicator,Personality Inventories
D010919 Placebos Any dummy medication or treatment. Although placebos originally were medicinal preparations having no specific pharmacological activity against a targeted condition, the concept has been extended to include treatments or procedures, especially those administered to control groups in clinical trials in order to provide baseline measurements for the experimental protocol. Sham Treatment
D011293 Premenstrual Syndrome A combination of distressing physical, psychologic, or behavioral changes that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms of PMS are diverse (such as pain, water-retention, anxiety, cravings, and depression) and they diminish markedly 2 or 3 days after the initiation of menses. Premenstrual Tension,Premenstrual Syndromes,Premenstrual Tensions,Syndrome, Premenstrual,Syndromes, Premenstrual,Tension, Premenstrual,Tensions, Premenstrual
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003866 Depressive Disorder An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent. Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D004311 Double-Blind Method A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment. Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D004334 Drug Administration Schedule Time schedule for administration of a drug in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and convenience. Administration Schedule, Drug,Administration Schedules, Drug,Drug Administration Schedules,Schedule, Drug Administration,Schedules, Drug Administration
D005260 Female Females

Related Publications

S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
January 1999, Archives of family medicine,
S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
November 2003, Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy,
S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
January 2004, Psychosomatic medicine,
S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
December 2002, Obstetrics and gynecology,
S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
January 2005, Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry,
S A Young, and P H Hurt, and D M Benedek, and R S Howard
September 1997, The Journal of clinical psychiatry,
Copied contents to your clipboard!