Diagnostic criteria for enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, finasteride and isotretinoin.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Expert consensus panel developing diagnostic criteria based on retrospective case series.
PubMed 34719438 · doi:10.3233/JRS-210023
What was done
A multidisciplinary panel of experts developed consensus diagnostic criteria for persistent post-drug syndromes: post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) following serotonin reuptake inhibitors, post-finasteride syndrome (PFS), and post-retinoid sexual dysfunction (PRSD). The initial framework was drafted using data pooled from two previously published case series (Hogan et al., 2014 and Healy et al., 2018) and refined by the panel.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or statistical metrics. The panel agreed on criteria characterizing PSSD, PFS, and PRSD by shared features, including decreased genital and orgasmic sensation, decreased sexual desire, and erectile dysfunction, alongside variable non-sexual symptoms such as emotional blunting and cognitive impairment. PGAD was defined by unwanted sensations of genital arousal or irritability in the absence of sexual desire. The panel also introduced the term "post-SSRI asexuality" for dampening of sexual interest and pleasure linked to pre-natal or pre-teen exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Why it matters
These criteria provide standardized definitions to assist clinicians and researchers in identifying and studying poorly understood sexual and non-sexual syndromes that persist after medication discontinuation.
Limits
The abstract reports no validation metrics, such as sensitivity, specificity, or inter-rater reliability. The criteria are based on expert consensus and two previously published retrospective case series rather than prospective controlled studies, and the total number of evaluated cases is not stated.
Cited by
- supports Some individuals experience persistent sexual and mood-related side effects that do not resolve even after discontinuing SSRI antidepressants.