Paraphilias in schizophrenia: differential diagnosis and treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Off-label Uses of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Psychiatric drugs have primacy for off-label prescribing. Among those, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are highly versatile and, therefore, widely prescribed. Moreover, they are commonly considered as having a better safety profile compared to other antidepressants. Thus, when it comes to off-label prescribing, SSRIs rank among the top positions. In this review, we present the state of the art of off-label applications of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, ranging from migraine prophylaxis to SARS-CoV-2 antiviral properties. Research on SSRIs provided significant evidence in the treatment of premature ejaculation, both with the on-label dapoxetine 30 mg and the off-label paroxetine 20 mg. However, other than a serotoninergic syndrome, serious conditions like increased bleeding rates, hyponatremia, hepatoxicity, and post-SSRIs sexual dysfunctions, are consistently more prominent when using such compounds. These insidious side effects might be frequently underestimated during common clinical practice, especially by nonpsychiatrists. Thus, some points must be addressed when using SSRIs. Among these, a psychiatric evaluation before every administration that falls outside the regulatory agencies-approved guidelines has to be considered mandatory. For these reasons, we aim with the present article to identify the risks of inappropriate uses and to advocate the need to actively boost research encouraging future clinical trials on this topic.

The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) 2020 guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of paraphilic disorders

Objectives: The primary aim of these guidelines is to evaluate the role of pharmacological agents in the treatment and management of patients with paraphilic disorders, with a focus on the treatment of adult males. Because such treatments are not delivered in isolation, the role of specific psychotherapeutic interventions is also briefly covered. These guidelines are intended for use in clinical practice by clinicians who diagnose and treat patients, including sexual offenders, with paraphilic disorders. The aim of these guidelines is to bring together different views on the appropriate treatment of paraphilic disorders from experts representing different countries in order to aid physicians in clinical decisions and to improve the quality of care.Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted using the English-language-literature indexed on MEDLINE/PubMed (1990-2018 for SSRIs) (1969-2018 for hormonal treatments), supplemented by other sources, including published reviews.Results: Each treatment recommendation was evaluated and discussed with respect to the strength of evidence for its efficacy, safety, tolerability, and feasibility. The type of medication used depends on the severity of the paraphilic disorder and the respective risk of behaviour endangering others. GnRH analogue treatment constitutes the most relevant treatment for patients with severe paraphilic disorders.Conclusions: An algorithm is proposed with different levels of treatment for different categories of paraphilic disorders accompanied by different risk levels.

Current concepts in the pharmacotherapy of paraphilias

Concerns about paraphilia and its treatment have grown in the past few years. Although the aetiology of paraphilia disorder is still not completely understood, pharmacological treatments have been proposed for this disorder. Paraphilias are a major burden for patients and society; nevertheless, only a few individuals with paraphilias voluntarily seek treatment. Antidepressants have been used in the treatment of certain types of mild (e.g. exhibitionism) and juvenile paraphilias. Antilibidinal hormonal treatments, such as steroidal antiandrogens and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, have also been studied and they seem to be effective in paraphilic disorders, although caution should be taken in the prescription of these treatments in order to avoid or minimize adverse effects and the risk of victimization. The combination of psychotherapy and pharmacological therapy is associated with better efficacy compared with either treatment as monotherapy. Paraphilia is a chronic disorder and a minimal duration of treatment of 3-5 years is highly recommended for severe paraphilia with a high risk of sexual violence. In conclusion, this review of the literature provides suggestive evidence that paraphilias are well characterized disorders marked by pathological dimensions. Although further research is necessary to confirm treatment efficacy and to improve our knowledge of long-term tolerance, available data on the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, steroidal antiandrogens and GnRH analogues strongly suggest the efficacy of these treatments for paraphilic disorders.