Jury out on antidepressants for kleptomania

	Tweet

The antidepressant Lexapro does not appear to be an effective treatment for people suffering from kleptomania, according to the first controlled study to look at drug treatment for the disorder. But a few patients in the small study did get better while on Lexapro, also known as escitalopram.

“The study does not provide evidence that escitalopram works for kleptomania but does not close out the possibility that some patients with the disorder may have a response to the drug,” Dr. Lorrin M. Koran of Stanford University School of Medicine, the study’s lead author, told Reuters Health.

There is currently no proven effective treatment for kleptomania, in which a person cannot resist impulses to steal things, often objects of little worth. Some case reports and uncontrolled studies, meaning they did not include a placebo group, have shown promise for the “selective serotonin inhibitor” (SSRI) class of antidepressant drugs.

Koran and his team treated 24 kleptomaniacs with the SSRI Lexapro for seven weeks. Those who showed a response to the drug were then randomized to continue on Lexapro or switch to placebo for another 17 weeks.

Forest Pharmaceuticals, which makes Lexapro, funded the study.

Nineteen subjects (79 percent) showed a response during the first treatment phase, defined as a reduction in theft episodes of more than 50 percent and “much improved” or “very much improved” symptoms overall.

Several patients dropped out of the study, so only 15 were randomized. Three of the seven patients on Lexapro (43 percent) relapsed during the second phase of the study, compared to 4 of the 8 patients on placebo.

The findings strongly suggest that the early response seen in the study was due to a placebo effect, Koran and colleagues say. However, Koran noted in an interview with Reuters Health, some patients said the drug “changed me,” and said they were now able to go into stores without feeling the urge to steal. Given that they had sought help for kleptomania many times in the past without success, “it’s hard to believe that’s placebo,” Koran said.

People who do suffer from kleptomania should seek help, Koran urged. “Definitely treatment is worth pursuing,” he said. “Without treatment they’re not likely to get better --with treatment there’s a chance.”

In addition to antidepressants, naltrexone, a drug used to treat addiction and some impulse control disorders, has also shown promise for kleptomania. Cognitive behavioral therapy may also help some individuals with the disorder.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, March 2007.

RELATED STORIES:
What happens in Vegas? Place as a risk factor for suicide   Depression symptoms less likely in kids with accurate self-perceptions   Working Overtime Linked to Anxiety and Depression   Enhancing Patient Safety in Psychiatric Settings   Anabolic steroids flip the adolescent brain’s switch for aggression   Teens Taking Antidepressants Might Be More Likely to Attempt, Complete Suicide   Antipsychotic drugs tied to diabetes risk in kids   Survey shows how depression and smoking intertwine   Older Adults Have Lower Rates of Mood, Anxiety Disorders   Mood symptoms seen even with shorter IVF tactic   Brain scans may detect post-trauma stress sooner   As autism diagnoses grow, so do number of fad treatments, researchers say   Stress-induced, high levels of corticotropin-releasing factor might be responsible for binge behavio   Wellbutrin plus reward helps cocaine users cut back   Treating depression by stimulating the pleasure center

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]