Reactions 646 - 12 Apr 1997

Serotonin syndrome rare withfluvoxamine

Mild and severe serotonin syndromes seem to be rareduring fluvoxamine therapy, conclude Dr Dieter Ebertand colleagues from Germany.

The researchers evaluated the incidence of serotoninsyndrome and serotonin syndrome-like adverse effectsin a group of 200 inpatients treated for the first time withfluvoxamine 50–300 mg/day for a mean period of 41days (overall total of 8200 treatment days). During thestudy period, no cases of serotonin syndrome wereseen. However, 3 patients developed insomnia,confusion, incoherent thoughts, agitation,hallucinations and paranoia, without other symptoms ofthe serotonin syndrome, during fluvoxamine therapy.These symptoms resolved rapidly after discontinuationof fluvoxamine.

53 patients were also followed up after hospitaldischarge for a total of 8891 treatment days; none ofthese patients developed the serotonin syndrome.

Dr Ebert and colleagues estimate that serotoninsyndrome-like symptoms occurred at a rate of0.04–0.006 per 100 treatment days in their study.Ebert D, et al. The serotonin syndrome and psychosis-like side-effects offluvoxamine in clinical use - an estimation of incidence. EuropeanNeuropsychopharmacology 7: 71-74, Feb 1997 800522592

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Reactions 12 Apr 1997 No. 6460114-9954/10/0646-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved