Efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) in patient with premature ejaculation

Background: Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common sexual dysfunction compliant in about 35-40% of men younger than 40 years; therefore a study for survey and diagnosis of this disorder is very important. Objective: In this study, the efficacy of 2 drugs (fluoxetine and citalopram) for treatment of patients suffering from PE is compared. We studied the effectiveness of both drugs in PE with different protocols to find out the most effective drug with least side effects. Materials and Methods: In total 77 patients referred to the Urology Clinic of Emam Reza Hospital, Tehran from 2006 to 2008 for the treatment of PE, including 25 patients with anxiety disorder, were randomly divided into 2 study groups. Patients belonging to first group (N= 43) received 40 mg (2 capsules of 20 mg) fluoxetine daily for 4 weeks and patients of the group II (N=34) received 40 mg citalopram daily for 4 weeks. Results: The mean Intra Vaginal Ejaculation Latency Time (IVELT) before treatment in patients of group I was 58.26±41.83 seconds while after treatment it raised to 466.2±10.85 seconds. In group II, the mean IVELT before treatment was 51.76±34.39 seconds while after treatment it elevated to 403.8±7.58 seconds. Conclusion: Difference was significant in mean IVELT before and after treatment with fluoxetine and citalopram (each drug separately). In this study, both drugs improved ejaculation duration while difference between 2 drugs was not significant (p > 0.05)