Comparison of citalopram and fluoxetine sexual side-effects in male patients referred to psychiatric clinic

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are among the selected medication to treat depression, panic disorder and many other psychiatric disorders. The most common undesirable effects of SSRIs are sexual dysfunctions that may lead to discontinuation of treatment in some patients. This study was conducted to compare sexual side-effects of two common drugs, citalopram and fluoxetine in male patients.
This cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 male patients referred to the psychiatric clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2013. They were candidates for SSRIs treatment and the clinic physicians prescribed citalopram or fluoxetine for them. The patients were examined in two groups after taking written informed consent and initial completion of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire and no history of sexual dysfunction, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Both citalopram and fluoxetine groups completed IIEF questionnaire again at the end of the first and second months after treatment and statistical analysis was done using SPSS.
Sexual dysfunction was observed in both groups in the all sexual function indices and its components. Although there was no significant difference in terms of sexual function components between the two groups, general sexual dysfunction was significantly higher in the fluoxetine group. In both groups, age was inversely related to the general sexual function index.
Unlike many other studies suggesting no difference on SSRI sexual side-effects, the present study showed a reduction in sexual function of men taking citalopram and fluoxetine and the reduction was more prominent with fluoxetine.