Conditions: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Keywords: Premenstrual Syndrome
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 252
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of sertraline in reducing symptoms in women diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Detailed description:
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMDD affects nearly 5 percent of menstruating women in the United States. This disorder is very disruptive and can affect a woman's performance at work and her relationships with friends and family. Symptoms typically occur 10 to 14 days before the start of a woman's period and dissipate soon after. Sadness, rapid changes in mood, anxiety, and irritability are common symptoms associated with PMDD. Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat PMDD. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of sertraline in reducing symptoms in women diagnosed with PMDD.

All participants will begin this study by recording their symptoms for two complete menstrual cycles. At a baseline study visit, participants will then be randomly assigned to receive either sertraline or placebo for six menstrual cycles. At the onset of PMDD symptoms, participants will take two pills of their assigned treatment daily. Once symptoms have dissipated, usually around the first or second day of the menstrual cycle, participants will stop taking their assigned treatment for that cycle. For the next 4 months, participants will attend study visits on the fifth day of each monthly menstrual cycle. For the following 2 months, participants will be contacted by telephone. Participants will be asked to rate their mood and symptoms at each contact. A final study visit will be scheduled on the first day of the seventh menstrual cycle. At this point, all participants will be offered sertraline for an additional three menstrual cycles, dosed on a daily basis. Two study visits will be scheduled over the course of the three cycles to evaluate the effectiveness of sertraline when dosed continuously. Urine collection and pregnancy tests may occur at selected times during the study.

Arms:
arm 1: Participants will take sertraline that is dosed between 50 and 100 mgs during the symptomatic period. Women who report moderate to severe side effects will be allowed to reduce their dose to 25 mg of sertraline and to increase the dose at the next cycle unless rate-limiting side effects continue. arm 2: Participants will take similar looking placebo during the symptomatic period.

Interventions: intervention 1: Sertraline intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 50 mg of sertraline will be taken at the onset of premenstrual symptoms through the first few days of menses. If a participant shows an insufficient response to this dose, the dose may be increased to 100 mg. Women who report moderate to severe side effects will be allowed to reduce their dose to 25 mg of sertraline and to increase the dose at the next cycle unless rate-limiting side effects continue. intervention 2: 50 mg of placebo will be taken at the onset of premenstrual symptoms through the first few days of menses. If a participant shows an insufficient response to this dose, the dose may be increased to 100 mg.

Protocol document: