| Background and Objective Premature ejaculation (PE) has the highest morbidity rate of male sexual dysfunction diseases all over the world. It has been reported that the global attack rate of PE is about 30-40% according to the epidemiological study. PE will decrease the quality and satisfactory of sexual life, increase the anxiety of patient, and will even destroy the marriage. In the past, PE was treated by behavior therapy, psychotherapy, desensitization therapy and topical remedy therapy. But these therapies were difficult to be accepted by patients because of poor therapeutic effect and tedious methods. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) is a kind of antidepressant drug. It is used to treat PE for the adverse effect of ejaculation delay and orgasm delay. Zoloft, also called Sertraline Hydrochloride, is a kind of strong effective and specific SSRI in neurons. It can specifically block the reuptake of 5-HT in presynaptic membrane, increase the content of 5-HT in synaptic cleft, and enhance the potency of 5-HT in corpore, but the effect to the reuptake of noradrenaline and dopamine is fairly slight.However, the clinical efficacy and safety of Zoloft in the treatment of PE have not been well defined. Chinese index of sexual function for premature ejaculation (CIPE) is a measuring scale referring to 10 questions about sexual life. Five of these questions, contain ejaculatory latency time, patients' satisfaction of sexual life, partners' satisfaction of sexual life, ejaculatory control, and anxiety of sexual life, are intimately related with PE. CIPE-5 is the objective index to evaluate the severity and therapeutic efficacy of PE. In this present random clinical study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of Zoloft for patients with premature ejaculation using the CIPE-5.Methods A total of 48 patients with premature ejaculation (age range from 24 to 52 years with mean age of 33.26±5.82 years) were enrolled from August 2004 to February 2007, and divided into two groups randomly. In group A, 26 patients took Zoloft 50mg once a day. In group B, 22 patients took Liuweidihuangwan 6g twice a day. 14 patients of group B shifted to take Zoloft with a discontinuation for one week after treatment with Liuweidihuangwan for 4 weeks. During the follow-up of 1-2 months, ejaculatory latency time, CIPE-5 score and adverse effect were recorded for every patient.Results After 4 weeks, the average ejaculatory latency time of group A was extended from (0.53 ± 0.36) min to (3.68 ± 1.47) min (P<0.05), and the average CIPE-5 score was increased from (9.25 ± 2.12) to (19.42 ± 4.15) (P<0.05). On the other hand, the average ejaculatory latency time of group B was changed from (0.56 ± 0.32) min to (0.65 ± 0.29) min (P>0.05), and the average CIPE-5 score waschanged from (9.63 ± 2.06) to (10.75 ± 2.41) (P>0.05), without significant difference. 14 patients of group B changed to take Zoloft from the sixth week, the average ejaculatory latency time was extended to (3.54 ± 1.57) min and the average CIPE-5 score was increased to (17.96 ± 5.08) after 4 weeks. A total of 29 patients' symptom had been improved after 4 weeks treated with Zoloft and the total efficacy rate is about 76.3%. During the therapy, two patients quitted for adverse effect, 2 patients had slightly nausea and epigastric discomfort, and 2 patients had slightly dizziness. The total rate of adverse effect is about 15%.Conclusions Zoloft can significantly extend the ejaculatory latency time and improve CIPE-5 score of patients with low adverse effect rate. Zoloft is an effective and safe drug for PE.
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