OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effectiveness of sertraline hydrochloride combined with four-spot caress in the treatment of primary premature ejaculation (PE).

METHODSWe randomly assigned 90 primary PE patients to three groups of equal number. The patients in group A (aged [28.1 ± 5.2] yr and with a disease course of [3.1 ± 1.9] yr) were treated with oral sertraline hydrochloride at 50 mg qd, those in B (aged [27.8 ± 4.1] yr and with a disease course of [3.2 ± 2.0] yr) by four-spot caressing (caressing the tongue, breasts, and vulva prior to intercourse), and those in C (aged [27.1 ± 4.7] yr and with a disease course of [3.1 ± 2.0] yr) by the combination of oral sertraline hydrochloride and four-spot caressing, all for 12 weeks. Before and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment, we obtained the intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and Chinese Index of Sexual Function for Premature Ejaculation-5 (CIPE-5) scores and compared them among the three groups of patients.

RESULTSThe IELT was dramatically prolonged in groups A, B, and C after 4 weeks ([1.08 ± 0.29], [0.93 ± 0.28] and [1.21 ± 0.27] min), 8 weeks ([1.43 ± 0.30], [1.20 ± 0.33] and [1.72 ± 0.42] min) and 12 weeks of treatment ([2.12 ± 0.63], [1.90 ± 0.65] and [2.67 ± 0.82] min) as compared with the baseline ([0.63 ?0.14] , [0.60 ?0.14] and [0.62 ?0.11] min) (P < 0.05), even longer in group C than in A and B (P < 0.05). The CIPE-5 scores were markedly improved in groups A, B and C after 4 weeks ([15.17 ± 1.74], [14.57 ± 1.94] and [15.60 ± 1.63] min), 8 weeks ([17.13 ± 1.63], [16.37 ± 1.97] and [18.00 ± 1.05] min) and 12 weeks of intervention ([18.93 ± 1.57], [18.53 ± 1.67] and [20.00 ± 1.46] min ) as compared with the baseline ([12.57 ± 2.05], [13.20 ± 2.51] and [13.07 ± 2.01] min) (P < 0.05), even higher in group C than in A and B (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSertraline hydrochloride combined with four-spot caressing, with its definite efficacy and rare adverse reactions, deserves wide clinical application in the treatment of primary PE.