---
title: Does nefazodone help premenstrual syndrome? | Niyora
description: Premenstrual symptoms improved significantly in both groups. Improvement appeared by week 4 at an average dose of 245 mg. However, this was an open-label stud
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/nefazodone-in-the-treatment-of-premenstrual-syndrome-a-preliminary-study-1994/
---

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- Does nefazodone help premenstrual syndrome?

Randomised trial, 1994

# Does nefazodone help premenstrual syndrome?

Premenstrual symptoms improved significantly in both groups. Improvement appeared by week 4 at an average dose of 245 mg. However, this was an open-label study without a placebo control, so the true effect is uncertain.

 Moderate study design

47 women with PMS, including 23 without depression and 24 with current depression or dysthymia

## What they did

47 women with PMS (23 without depression, 24 with depression) received open-label nefazodone starting at 100 mg and titrated up to 600 mg daily in two divided doses for 8 weeks, with optional continuation for up to 1 year.

## What they found

Premenstrual symptoms improved significantly in both groups by the end of the first treated cycle (4 weeks). Average dose at improvement was 245 mg (range 100-400 mg). 47 of 54 patients completed 2 months of treatment with mean daily dose of 319 mg. Most common side effects were nausea and headache.

## What it means for you

Nefazodone may help PMS and PMS that occurs with depression. Improvement occurred quickly at relatively modest doses. However, this was open-label without a placebo control, so we cannot separate medication effect from expectations and attention. The authors recommend a placebo-controlled study.

47

women who completed 2 months

245 mg

average effective dose

4 weeks

time to symptom improvement

## About the study

Original title Nefazodone in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: a preliminary study Authors Freeman EW, Rickels K, Sondheimer SJ et al. Journal Journal of clinical psychopharmacology Year 1994 Study design Randomised trial Participants 24 What was tested Nefazodone 100-600 mg daily in two divided doses for 8 weeks Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8027414/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8027414/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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