Frequency of treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction and treatment effectiveness during SSRI or duloxetine therapy: 8-week data from a 6-month observational study.

Background: In randomised controlled trials, the frequency of treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction (TESD) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) at week 8 was lower with duloxetine than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy.

Methods: This 6-month, prospective, observational study compared the frequency of TESD (using the Arizona Sexual Experience [ASEX] scale) in MDD patients treated with duloxetine or SSRI monotherapy in the first 8 weeks in normal clinical practice.

Results: Physician-assessed TESD frequency at week 8 was comparable with duloxetine and SSRI monotherapy (23.