(021) Sexual Function in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder before and after Treatment with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is closely associated with sexual dysfunction, which may worsen during treatment with SSRIs due to side-effects of pharmacological treatment. This can potentially aggravate the depressed state or result in non-compliance with the treatment. Currently, little is known about the interplay between effects of SSRI treatment, patient characteristics and sexual function. Objective To examine the association between sexual function and the severity of MDD in drug-naïve patients compared to healthy controls and how treatment with SSRIs affects sexual function over time in individuals with MDD. Interaction with gender and treatment response was examined. Methods In 92 patients with MDD, we measured MDD severity with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and level of sexual function with the Changes in Sexual Function Questionnaire (CSFQ) at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after initiating treatment with escitalopram. Baseline sexual function was compared to sexual function of 73 healthy controls. Results Patients had worse sexual function at baseline than healthy controls, which was not associated with severity of MDD. Patients’ sexual function improved significantly during treatment. Improvement in sexual function was coupled with amelioration of symptoms of depression, but treatment response groups did not predict change in sexual function. Gender had no effect on sexual dysfunction symptoms during treatment. Conclusions Sexual dysfunction was strongly associated with MDD and improved in parallel with improvement in overall symptoms of depression across a standard 12-week SSRI antidepressant treatment. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: The Lundbeck Foundation alliance BrainDrugs, Sahakian: Lundbeck Foundation Clarification Industry funding only - investigator initiated and executed study Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: FREYA, Novo Nordic