Key clinical point: The addition of pimavanserin to ongoing treatment improves sexual function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
Major finding : Pimavanserin vs. placebo significantly improved the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Index mean scores from baseline to week 5 (least square mean difference, −0.634; P = .0002). Item 14 scores (sexual interest) on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale improved significantly with pimavanserin vs. placebo ( P less than .05).
Study details: This secondary analysis of the CLARITY study included 203 patients with MDD randomly assigned to either pimavanserin (n = 51) or placebo (n = 152) in addition to their current treatment.
Disclosures: This study was funded by ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Marlene Freeman: Investigator Initiated Trials/Research: Takeda, JayMac, Sage; Advisory boards: Otsuka, Alkermes, Janssen, Sage; Sunovion; Independent Data Safety and Monitoring Committee: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson); Medical Editing: GOED newsletter. Speaking/honoraria: U.S. Psychiatric Congress, Medscape. He is an employee of Massachusetts General Hospital and works with the MGH National Pregnancy Registry.
Citation: Freeman MP et al. Depress Anxiety. 2020 Apr 17. doi: 10.1002/da.23017.