Systematic review, 2024
What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS?
SSRIs (antidepressants) and combined oral contraceptives (birth control pills) have the strongest evidence. For difficult cases, GnRH agonists and surgery work. Some alternatives like acupuncture and yoga show promise but need better quality research.
What they did
Scoping review of 194 studies from 20 years of research on PMS and PMDD treatment. Searched PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science. Reviewed studies on medications, alternative treatments, and surgery.
What they found
SSRIs and combined oral contraceptives have the highest quality evidence. GnRH agonists and surgery are effective for refractory (difficult-to-treat) cases. Some evidence exists for nutraceuticals, acupuncture, and yoga, but study quality and methods vary considerably.
What it means for you
SSRIs and hormonal birth control pills are the most proven treatments for PMS and PMDD. Alternative treatments may help but need higher quality research. Main limitation: the 194 included studies vary significantly in quality.
194
Studies reviewed
20
Years of research covered
About the study
- Original title
- Management of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Scoping Review
- Authors
- Carlini SV, Lanza di Scalea T, McNally ST et al.
- Journal
- Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- SSRIs, combined oral contraceptives, GnRH agonists, surgery, acupuncture, yoga, nutraceuticals
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.23021035
Topics
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