Trazodone, a double blind trial for treatment of erectile dysfunction

Abstract

Objective: to assess the effectiveness of oral trazodone 150 mg/d for treatment of erectile dysfunction. Patients and methods: a double-blind, placebo controlled, multicentre trial. A run-in period of two weeks was followed by four weeks of medication. Evaluation was done by patients diary, a questionnaire and Rigiscan^TM nightly penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) measurements in the second and sixth week of the trial. Results: 69 patients were randomised, two patients never returned for follow-up, nine patients stopped the medication due to side-effects, so 58 patients are evaluable for effect assessment. Half of the patients suffered psychogenic impotence. There was no significant difference in the subjective results of trazodone compared to placebo. Side effects occurred more often with the use of trazodone, but this was not statistically significant. Conclusion: In a group of patients, that was not selected on the basis of the etiology of the erectile dysfunction, nor selected on the duration of the complaint, the efficacy of trazodone 150 mg/d, could not be shown.