Variable dosing of sertraline for premenstrual exacerbation of depression: a pilot study.

Objectives: Premenstrual exacerbation of depression (PMED) is a variation of major depressive disorder (MDD) in which symptoms worsen during the premenstrual period. Breakthrough symptoms of PMED may occur despite effective antidepressant treatment in the rest of the cycle. This pilot study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of variable dosing in PMED using the antidepressant sertraline.