Treatment of premature ejaculation with paroxetine hydrochloride

To evaluate the efficacy of chronic and 'on demand' administration of paroxetine hydrochloride in the drug treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).

Ninety-four normally potent men, aged 18-61 y (mean 39 y) with premature ejaculation were treated between January 1996 and March 1997, with oral paroxetine hydrochloride, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI). All men were either married or in a stable relationship. Sixty-four out of ninety-four men (Group A) were initially treated with paroxetine hydrochloride 20 mg administered once daily. Those men who responded with improved ejaculatory control within four weeks, were then treated with 'on-demand' paroxetine hydrochloride (20 mg) administered 3-4 h prior to planned intercourse. The remaining 33 out of 94 men (Group B) were initially treated with 'on-demand' paroxetine hydrochloride 20 mg administered 3-4 h prior to planned intercourse.

The mean pre-treatment ejaculatory latency time (ELT) of both group A and B was 0.4 min (range 0-1 min) in 205 intercourses at a frequency of 0.4 intercourses per week. In group A after four weeks of daily administration of paroxetine, the mean ELT was 4.5 min (range 1-anejac.) in 761 intercourses at a frequency of 2.4 intercourses per week. Fifty-three out of sixty-one men in group A regarded their ejaculatory control as improved and were then treated with 'on-demand' paroxetine, achieving an ELT of 3.9 min (range 0-10) in 608 intercourses at a frequency of 2.6 intercourses per week. Thirty-six men in this group of 53 regarded that they had maintained improved ejaculatory control with a mean ELT of 5.5 min (range 2-20 min) after a further four weeks of treatment (P < 0.001). The remaining 17 men reported a recurrence of poor ejaculatory control with a mean ELT of 0.7 min (range 0-2 min). In group B with initial 'on-demand' paroxetine after a mean of 4.5 weeks of treatment, the mean ELT was 1.5 min (range 0-5 min) in 298 intercourses at a frequency of 2.2 intercourses per week. Adverse effects were only recorded in men taking daily paroxetine and included anejaculation in 5 out of 61, inhibited orgasm in 3 out of 61 and reduced libido on 3 out of 61. Erectile dysfunction was not reported and 'on demand' paroxetine was not associated with any adverse effects.

Paroxetine hydrochloride appears to be a useful agent in the pharmacological treatment of premature ejaculation when administered on a chronic, an 'on-demand' basis following chronic treatment or initial 'on demand' basis.