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Fluoxetine in pathologic skin-picking: open-label and double-blind results
M R Bloch1, M Elliott, H Thompson
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, CA, USA. _rloch@excite.com
Psychosomatics
|August 10, 2001
Summary
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine show promise for treating skin-picking disorder. In a study, fluoxetine responders maintained improvement, while placebo non-responders relapsed.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Dermatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Pathologic skin-picking is a condition with limited treatment options.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are being explored for efficacy in managing this behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of fluoxetine in treating pathologic skin-picking.
- To assess the sustained efficacy of fluoxetine in individuals who initially responded to the drug.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen subjects with clinically significant skin-picking underwent 6 weeks of open-label fluoxetine treatment.
- Responders were then randomized to a 6-week double-blind trial comparing fluoxetine to a placebo.
- Standardized rating scales were used to evaluate treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- All 15 subjects completed the open-label phase, with 8 identified as responders.
- Four subjects receiving double-blind fluoxetine maintained significant improvement.
- The four subjects randomized to placebo reverted to their baseline symptom severity.
Conclusions:
- Fluoxetine demonstrates potential efficacy in treating pathologic skin-picking, particularly for individuals who initially respond.
- Further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to identify patient subgroups likely to benefit from fluoxetine and to compare its effectiveness against other SSRIs and treatments.