Placebo-Controlled Study of Fluvoxamine in the Treatment of Patients With Compulsive Buying

Authors:
  • SMSusan L. McElroy
    Susan L. McElroy
  • CKCecelia P. Kane
    Cecelia P. Kane
  • BKBettina T. Knight
    Bettina T. Knight
  • LCLeah S. Casuto
    Leah S. Casuto
  • SRSteve E. Rose
    Steve E. Rose
  • FMFrederick A. Marsteller
    Frederick A. Marsteller
  • CNCharles B. Nemeroff
    Charles B. Nemeroff
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Abstract
Compulsive buying is a syndrome characterized by the impulsive and/or compulsive buying of unneeded objects that results in personal distress, impairment in vocational or social functioning, and/or financial problems. Results from a two-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled 13-week trial of fluvoxamine are presented. Subjects had problematic buying behavior that they could not control for the previous 6 months or longer and met DSM-IV criteria for impulse control disorder-not other-wise specified (ICD-NOS) and the University of Cincinnati criteria for compulsive buying. Assessments included clinician-rated scales-the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale modified for compulsive buying, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, the Global Assessment of Functioning, and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-and patient self-reports using daily diaries, which measured episodes of compulsive buying. Forty-two subjects gave informed consent, with 37 subjects providing evaluable information and 23 completing the study. Current or past psychiatric comorbidity was present in 74% of subjects. Intent-to-treat and completer analyses failed to show a significant difference between treatments on any measures of outcome. A high placebo-response rate, possibly from the behavioral benefits of maintaining a daily diary, prevents any definitive statement on the efficacy of fluvoxamine in treating compulsive buying.

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