BACKGROUND: Despite anecdotal reports that serotonin reuptake inhibitors may improve depersonalisation, there is no proven efficacious treatment for depersonalisation disorder. AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of fluoxetine in the treatment of depersonalisation disorder. METHOD: Fifty-four people who met DSM-IV criteria for depersonalisation disorder were recruited through newspaper advertisements, and 50 were randomised to a 10-week, double-blind trial of fluoxetine 10-60 mg/day or placebo. Primary outcome measures were the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Depersonalisation Factor, the Depersonalization Severity Scale and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed that fluoxetine (mean dosage 48 mg/day) was not superior to placebo except for a clinically minimal but statistically significantly greater improvement in CGI-I score in the fluoxetine group prior to covarying for anxiety and depression (2.9 v. 3.6). Depersonalisation was significantly more likely to improve if comorbid anxiety disorder improved. CONCLUSIONS:Fluoxetine was not efficacious in treating depersonalisation disorder, despite the commonly reported clinical use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for this condition.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Despite anecdotal reports that serotonin reuptake inhibitors may improve depersonalisation, there is no proven efficacious treatment for depersonalisation disorder. AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of fluoxetine in the treatment of depersonalisation disorder. METHOD: Fifty-four people who met DSM-IV criteria for depersonalisation disorder were recruited through newspaper advertisements, and 50 were randomised to a 10-week, double-blind trial of fluoxetine 10-60 mg/day or placebo. Primary outcome measures were the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Depersonalisation Factor, the Depersonalization Severity Scale and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed that fluoxetine (mean dosage 48 mg/day) was not superior to placebo except for a clinically minimal but statistically significantly greater improvement in CGI-I score in the fluoxetine group prior to covarying for anxiety and depression (2.9 v. 3.6). Depersonalisation was significantly more likely to improve if comorbid anxiety disorder improved. CONCLUSIONS:Fluoxetine was not efficacious in treating depersonalisation disorder, despite the commonly reported clinical use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for this condition.
Authors: Emma-Louise Jay; Mauricio Sierra; Frederique Van den Eynde; John C Rothwell; Anthony S David Journal: Brain Stimul Date: 2013-12-12 Impact factor: 8.955
Authors: Nick Medford; Mauricio Sierra; Argyris Stringaris; Vincent Giampietro; Michael J Brammer; Anthony S David Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2016-06-02