Efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a single-blind study

Comparative Efficacy of Newer Antidepressants in Combination with Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Controlled, Randomized Study

“…This study showed that the combined use of pregabalin plus paroxetine vs. amitriptyline or venlafaxine resulted in significantly lower SSS‐8 and depression scale scores; higher medication tolerability; better life satisfaction, mood, and sleep quality; and less frequent use of rescue analgesic medication and adverse effects in patients with fibromyalgia. In agreement with our results, other investigators have demonstrated good tolerability and efficacy of paroxetine in improving overall symptoms of fibromyalgia even in patients without concurrent mood or anxiety disorders . Despite these promising findings, paroxetine is considered to have a weaker analgesic effect than amitriptyline or venlafaxine …”

“…Second, paroxetine might exert an analgesic effect in fibromyalgia subjects through the inhibition of norepinephrine reuptake. Indeed, other investigators have reported lower pain scores at 11 weeks after the initiation of paroxetine therapy in patients with fibromyalgia, consistent with the time course of norepinephrine reuptake inhibition . Third, our study showed reduced somatic symptoms at 18 weeks after the initial use of paroxetine, while other studies have limited the follow‐up of pain status for < 13 weeks .…”

Management of fibromyalgia

“…With fluoxetine, one study showed no superiority over placebo, whereas the other two did demonstrate significant improvement in depression, pain, and fatigue. Paroxetine at a dose of 20 mg per day was shown to reduce symptoms in a single blind 3-month study [33]. Sertraline showed promising results in an open-label study with doses ranging between 25 and 200 mg per day for 6 weeks [34].…”

Pharmacological treatment of fibromyalgia

“…In uno studio non pubblicato, condotto dalla GlaxoSmithKline della durata di 8 settimane, sono riportati risultati positivi nel giudizio globale dello sperimentatore, ma non in quello dei pazienti (30). Giordano et al, in uno studio in cieco della durata di 12 settimane, hanno osservato un miglioramento significativo nel "TPs score" nei soggetti trattati rispetto ai controlli (31). Infine, in uno studio RCT condotto secondo un disegno sperimentale in triplo crossover, gli Autori riportano che l'associazione tra paroxetina e nabumetone è significativamente superiore al nabumetone da solo, ma non alla paroxetina da sola, nel ridurre lo score totale del FIQ (32).…”