Most of the Effect of Paroxetine for Treating Hot Flashes May Be Placebo Effect

TUESDAY, Sept. 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Most of the efficacy of paroxetine to treat hot flashes may be a placebo effect, according to a review published online Aug. 4 in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Joshua R. Rhodes, Ph.D., from Abilene Christian University in Texas, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify randomized clinical trials examining the efficacy of paroxetine to treat hot flashes.
Six randomized clinical trials (1,486 women) were included in a meta-analysis.

The researchers found that 79 percent of the mean treatment response for hot flash frequency was accounted for by a placebo response, resulting in a mean true drug effect of 21 percent at most across the six trials. For hot flash severity, 68 percent of the mean treatment response was accounted for by a placebo response, resulting in a maximum true drug effect of 32 percent.

“The findings provide evidence to reevaluate the use of paroxetine to treat postmenopausal hot flashes and emphasize the importance of considering effective, alternative treatments for vasomotor symptoms,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text