Results : Duloxetine may be an effective treatment for mood spectrum disorders , panic disorder , several symptom clusters of borderline personality , and as add-on drug in schizophrenia .
Modest or conflicting results have been found for the efficacy of duloxetine in obsessive-compulsive disorder , posttraumatic stress disorder , eating , and sexual disorders .
Background : Duloxetine hydrochloride ( DUL ) is an antidepressant included in the pharmacological class of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder , generalized anxiety disorder , diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain , fibromyalgia , and chronic musculoskeletal pain .
The aim of this review was to eluci date current evidence s on the use of DUL in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders .
Duloxetine treatment of dysthymia and double depression: an open-label trial.
BACKGROUND Although not as common as major depressive disorder , dysthymia is not rare and is associated with substantial impairment . Antidepressants and some psychotherapies are often effective . We explored the efficacy of the antidepressant duloxetine , a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor . METHOD Between February 2005 and April 2006 , we recruited 24 adults with DSM-IV dysthymia or dysthymia and concurrent major depression ( " double depression " ) who had an entry score of > or = 17 on the clinician-rated Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology ( IDS-C ) . We excluded subjects with significant medical illnesses and those requiring other psychotropic agents or undergoing psychotherapy .  Subjects received duloxetine 60 mg/day for 6 weeks , increased as tolerated to 120 mg/day for the remainder of the 12-week trial for those with an inadequate treatment response . RESULTS The subjects ' mean + /- SD IDS-C scores decreased significantly from baseline ( 27.3 + /- 6.3 ) to endpoint ( 7.8 + /- 7.4 , Student t = 12.38 , df = 23 , p < or = .001 ) . The IDS-C response rate ( intent-to-treat [ ITT ] ) was 83 % ( 20/24 ) ; the remission rate ( ITT ) was 79 % ( 19/24 ) . Among study completers , these rates were 89 % ( 17/19 ) and 84 % ( 16/19 ) . Five subjects ( 21 % ) discontinued for side effects . CONCLUSION Duloxetine appears to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for dysthymia and double depression . A double-blind , placebo-controlled study is under way . If duloxetine is found to be effective , studies powered to detect potential , clinical ly important differences between duloxetine and other antidepressants will be needed . CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT00185575
Results : Duloxetine may be an effective treatment for mood spectrum disorders , panic disorder , several symptom clusters of borderline personality , and as add-on drug in schizophrenia .
Modest or conflicting results have been found for the efficacy of duloxetine in obsessive-compulsive disorder , posttraumatic stress disorder , eating , and sexual disorders .
Background : Duloxetine hydrochloride ( DUL ) is an antidepressant included in the pharmacological class of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder , generalized anxiety disorder , diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain , fibromyalgia , and chronic musculoskeletal pain .
The aim of this review was to eluci date current evidence s on the use of DUL in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders .