OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical efficacy and reliability of citalopram in the treatment of premature ejaculation.

METHODSWe included in this study 80 patients who came to our andrological clinic for premature ejaculation from May 2011 to May 2012, and randomly assigned them to a treatment and a control group of equal number to receive citalopram (20 mg/d) and placebo, respectively. We recorded the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and sexual intercourse satisfaction scores before and at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, and compared them between the two groups.

RESULTSIn the treatment group, IELT was significantly longer at 2 and 4 weeks than before treatment ([5.64 +/- 1.31] and [7.12 +/- 1.56] min vs [0.91 +/- 0.18] min, P < 0.01), so was it at 4 than at 2 weeks (P < 0.01), and the sexual intercourse satisfaction scores were remarkably higher at 2 and 4 weeks than before treatment (6.1 +/- 1.3 and 6.3 +/- 1.1 vs 2.5 +/- 0.8, P < 0.01), but with no significant difference between 2 and 4 weeks (P > 0.05). The control group showed no significant differences in the mean IELT and sexual intercourse satisfaction scores between pre- and posttreatment ([1.01 +/- 0.21] vs [0.95 +/- 0.17 min; 3.1 +/- 1.3 vs 3.0 +/- 1.1, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOral medication of citalopram at 20 mg/d can significantly prolong IELT and improve sexual intercourse satisfaction in patients with premature ejaculation.