fluvoxamine and Diarrhea

Fluvoxamine and paroxetine, both serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), were compared at two centers in a 7-week double-blind study in outpatients with major depression, diagnosed by DSM-III-R criteria.. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to receive dosage titrated upward to between 50-150 mg/day of fluvoxamine (N = 30) or 20-50 mg/day of paroxetine (N = 30). The mean +/- SD daily dose administered at the last assessment was 102 +/- 44 mg/day for fluvoxamine and 36 +/- 13 mg/day for paroxetine. Sixteen (53%) fluvoxamine-treated patients and 10 (33%) paroxetine-treated patients were titrated to the maximum permissible dosage of either drug. Sample size was calculated to provide at least 85% power at 5% level of significance to detect at least a 1.00-point difference in mean severity of adverse events, assuming a standard deviation of 1.0.. Fluvoxamine and paroxetine were similarly effective in ameliorating depression as demonstrated by mean total scores of 10.9 +/- 7.3 (p < .00) and 11.5 +/- 7.4 (p < .00), respectively, in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Adverse events were mostly mild to moderate in severity. The most common events were headache (N = 17, 57%), nausea (N = 14, 47%), sweating (N = 10, 33%), somnolence (N = 9, 30%), diarrhea (N = 9, 30%), dry mouth (N = 8, 27%), dizziness (N = 8, 27%), and, among males, impotence (N = 3, 21%) and ejaculatory abnormality (N = 3, 21%) in the paroxetine group, and headache (N = 12, 40%), somnolence (N = 12, 40%), nausea (N = 11, 37%), dry mouth (N = 11, 37%), insomnia (N = 9, 30%), asthenia (N = 7, 23%), and dyspepsia (N = 7, 23%) in the fluvoxamine group. The only statistically significant difference between treatment groups was for sweating (33% paroxetine vs. 10% fluvoxamine, p = .028).. Observed differences in some side effects, although not statistically significant, indicate that when a patient has difficulty tolerating one SSRI, the clinician may choose to change to a different agent within the same class.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ambulatory Care; Depressive Disorder; Diarrhea; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Fluvoxamine; Headache; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nausea; Paroxetine; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Severity of Illness Index; Sleep; Sweating; Treatment Outcome; Xerostomia

In 16 depression clinics in hospitals and outpatient facilities in the Netherlands, a study was performed to evaluate and compare the efficacy and tolerability of citalopram and fluvoxamine and to determine the difference in the incidence of gastrointestinal side-effects. A total of 217 patients with a depressive disorder (DSM-III-R criteria) and a score of at least 16 on the Hamilton rating scale for depression were randomized to treatment. The results of this study indicate that the two drugs are equally effective. The adverse events occurring during treatment show a similar pattern between the two drugs, but citalopram is better tolerated than fluvoxamine. Citalopram induces fewer gastrointestinal adverse events compared with fluvoxamine. However, this did not affect the drop-out rates.

Topics: Adult; Antidepressive Agents; Citalopram; Depressive Disorder; Diarrhea; Double-Blind Method; Female; Fluvoxamine; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nausea; Outpatients; Paresthesia; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Depression and anxiety disorders are frequently seen in the postpartum period. Primary pharmacological agents for these disorders are antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Despite no adverse reports, data on safety for the maternal use of fluvoxamine on breastfed infants are limited. This case report presents diarrhea and vomiting in the breastfed baby of a woman using fluvoxamine at 50 mg/d.

Topics: Adult; Breast Feeding; Depression, Postpartum; Diarrhea; Female; Fluvoxamine; Humans; Infant; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Vomiting

A qualitative analysis of studies on the efficacy and side-effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the treatment of elderly people with depression is presented. Only placebo-controlled or comparison studies of SSRI versus other antidepressants were included. The description and methodological quality of the analysed studies were important criteria in the outcome of the analysis. Quality was assessed by means of a blinded review approach. After excluding duplicate publications, 16 studies were analysed, of which six turned out to be of good quality. The results indicated that at the end of the treatment periods (4-8 weeks) all antidepressants were equally effective. Side-effects occurred less frequently with SSRIs than with tricyclics (TCAs), and different side-effect profiles were found. Significantly fewer SSRI-treated patients than TCA-treated patients dropped out both overall and due to side-effects.

Topics: 1-Naphthylamine; Aged; Anorexia; Antidepressive Agents; Depressive Disorder; Diarrhea; Fluoxetine; Fluvoxamine; Humans; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Nausea; Paroxetine; Patient Dropouts; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Sertraline; Single-Blind Method