FLUOXETINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PREMENSTRUAL DYSPHORIA

We performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of fl uoxetine in 17 women with prospectively confirmed PMS who also met cri teria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). A subset of 10 women with PMDD and an additional 10 controls participated in a single-dose m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) challenge during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. We evaluated the ability of the acute behavioral response to luteal phase m-CPP administration to pred ict therapeutic response to fluoxetine. Compared with baseline, fluoxe tine, but not placebo, treatment significantly improved both emotional and physical symptoms. We identified 11 (65%) fluoxetine responders w ho no longer met diagnostic criteria for PMDD during fluoxetine but re mained symptomatic during placebo treatment. In addition, acute sympto matic improvement also occurred following m-CPP administration in 7 of 10 women with PMDD. The small number of m-CPP nonresponders did not r espond to fluoxetine either. Our findings confirm that fluoxetine is a n effective treatment of PMDD. (C) Published 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.