Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors for the treatment of sexual dysfunction in males with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Abstract
A recent meta-analysis recommended that individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) whose acute symptoms improve with antidepressants should continue treatment to prevent relapse. 1 However, some individuals discontinue treatment, mainly due to antidepressant-associated side effects.1,2 The side effect most likely to lead to treatment discontinuation in males in the maintenance phase is sexual dysfunction (SED).3 MDD is associated with impairments in sexual function and satisfaction, even in untreated individuals.3 Thus, because SED in males with MDD is a serious side effect that may lead to early termination of treatment and worsening of quality of life, 3 this issue is addressed in the treatment guidelines.4,5 Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5-Is) increase vasodilation by preventing the breakdown of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, and are widely used as treatments for SED such as erectile dysfunction.6 A previous meta-analysis found that sildenafil outperformed placebo in the improvement of SED in individuals with MDD. 7 However, few of the included studies investigating SED outcomes were at the level of doubleblind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials (DBRPCTs) (Table S1).To date, only eight DBRPCTs of PDE5-Is for MDD with SED have been published (Table S1).Hence, we conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether PDE5-Is provide benefits in the treatment of SED in males with MDD.This study was performed in accordance with the…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Protective effects of tadalafil and N-acetyl cysteine therapy on cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity
- The Use of Generative AI for Scientific Literature Searches for Systematic Reviews: ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing AI Performance Evaluation
- Sildenafil as a Candidate Drug for Alzheimer’s Disease: Real-World Patient Data Observation and Mechanistic Observations from Patient-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons
- Ozone-modified properties of pumpkin seed oil as anti-H. pylori, anticancer, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity agent
- Effectiveness of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Erectile Dysfunction: An Analysis of Sexual Function and Penile Hardness at Erection: An Umbrella Review
- Molecular Docking of Silymarin as a Ligand for Aromatase Enzyme and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Using Molegro Virtual Docker
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.