ADVERSE REACTIONS
Adverse Reactions Leading to Treatment Discontinuation
Of the 1087 OCD and depressed patients treated with fluvoxamine maleate in controlled clinical trials in North America, 22% discontinued due to an adverse reaction. Adverse reactions that led to discontinuation in at least 2% of fluvoxamine maleate-treated patients in these trials were: nausea (9%), insomnia (4%), somnolence (4%), headache (3%), and asthenia, vomiting, nervousness, agitation, and dizziness (2% each).
Incidence in Controlled Trials
Commonly Observed Adverse Reactions in Controlled Clinical Trials:
Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets have been studied in 10-week short-term controlled trials of OCD (N=320) and depression (N=1350). In general, adverse reaction rates were similar in the two data sets as well as in the pediatric OCD study. The most commonly observed adverse reactions associated with the use of Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets and likely to be drug-related (incidence of 5% or greater and at least twice that for placebo) derived from Table 2 were: nausea, somnolence, insomnia, asthenia, nervousness, dyspepsia, abnormal ejaculation, sweating, anorexia, tremor, and vomiting. In a pool of two studies involving only patients with OCD, the following additional reactions were identified using the above rule: anorgasmia, decreased libido, dry mouth, rhinitis, taste perversion, and urinary frequency. In a study of pediatric patients with OCD, the following additional reactions were identified using the above rule: agitation, depression, dysmenorrhea, flatulence, hyperkinesia, and rash.
Adverse Reactions Occurring at an Incidence of 1%:
Table 2 enumerates adverse reactions that occurred in adults at a frequency of 1% or more, and were more frequent than in the placebo group, among patients treated with Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets in two short-term placebo controlled OCD trials (10 week) and depression trials (6 week) in which patients were dosed in a range of generally 100 to 300 mg/day. This table shows the percentage of patients in each group who had at least one occurrence of a reaction at some time during their treatment. Reported adverse reactions were classified using a standard COSTART-based Dictionary terminology.
The prescriber should be aware that these figures cannot be used to predict the incidence of side effects in the course of usual medical practice where patient characteristics and other factors may differ from those that prevailed in the clinical trials. Similarly, the cited frequencies cannot be compared with figures obtained from other clinical investigations involving different treatments, uses, and investigators. The cited figures, however, do provide the prescribing physician with some basis for estimating the relative contribution of drug and non-drug factors to the side-effect incidence rate in the population studied.
TABLE 2 TREATMENT-EMERGENT ADVERSE REACTION INCIDENCE RATES BY BODY SYSTEM IN ADULT OCD AND DEPRESSION POPULATIONS COMBINED1
BODY SYSTEM/
ADVERSE REACTION
|
Percentage of Patients Reporting Reaction |
FLUVOXAMINE
N = 892
|
PLACEBO
N = 778
|
1Reactions for which fluvoxamine maleate incidence was equal to or less than placebo are not listed in the table above.
2 Includes “toothache,” “tooth extraction and abscess,” and “caries.”
3 Mostly feeling warm, hot, or flushed.
4 Mostly “blurred vision.”
5 Mostly “delayed ejaculation.”
6 Incidence based on number of male patients.
|
|
BODY AS WHOLE
|
| Headache |
22 |
20 |
| Asthenia |
14 |
6 |
| Flu Syndrome |
3 |
2 |
| Chills |
2 |
1 |
|
CARDIOVASCULAR
|
| Palpitations |
3 |
2 |
|
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
|
| Nausea |
40 |
14 |
| Diarrhea |
11 |
7 |
| Constipation |
10 |
8 |
| Dyspepsia |
10 |
5 |
| Anorexia |
6 |
2 |
| Vomiting |
5 |
2 |
| Flatulence |
4 |
3 |
|
Tooth Disorder2
|
3
|
1 |
| Dysphagia |
2 |
1 |
|
NERVOUS SYSTEM
|
| Somnolence |
22 |
8 |
| Insomnia |
21 |
10 |
| Dry Mouth |
14 |
10 |
| Nervousness |
12 |
5 |
| Dizziness |
11 |
6 |
| Tremor |
5 |
1 |
| Anxiety |
5 |
3 |
|
Vasodilatation3
|
3 |
1 |
| Hypertonia |
2 |
1 |
| Agitation |
2 |
1 |
| Decreased Libido |
2 |
1 |
| Depression |
2 |
1 |
| CNS Stimulation |
2 |
1 |
|
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
|
| Upper Respiratory Infection |
9 |
5 |
| Dyspnea |
2 |
1 |
| Yawn |
2 |
0 |
|
SKIN
|
| Sweating |
7 |
3 |
|
SPECIAL SENSES
|
| Taste Perversion |
3 |
1 |
|
Amblyopia4
|
3 |
2 |
|
UROGENITAL
|
|
Abnormal Ejaculation5,6
|
8 |
1 |
| Urinary Frequency |
3 |
2 |
|
Impotence6
|
2 |
1 |
| Anorgasmia |
2 |
0 |
| Urinary Retention |
1 |
0 |
Adverse Reactions in OCD Placebo Controlled Studies Which are Markedly Different (defined as at least a two-fold difference) in Rate from the Pooled Reaction Rates in OCD and Depression Placebo Controlled Studies: The reactions in OCD studies with a two-fold decrease in rate compared to reaction rates in OCD and depression studies were dysphagia and amblyopia (mostly blurred vision). Additionally, there was an approximate 25% decrease in nausea.
The reactions in OCD studies with a two-fold increase in rate compared to reaction rates in OCD and depression studies were: asthenia, abnormal ejaculation (mostly delayed ejaculation), anxiety, rhinitis, anorgasmia (in males), depression, libido decreased, pharyngitis, agitation, impotence, myoclonus/twitch, thirst, weight loss, leg cramps, myalgia, and urinary retention. These reactions are listed in order of decreasing rates in the OCD trials.
Other Adverse Reactions in OCD Pediatric Population
In pediatric patients (N=57) treated with Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets, the overall profile of adverse reactions was generally similar to that seen in adult studies, as shown in Table 2. However, the following adverse reactions, not appearing in Table 2, were reported in two or more of the pediatric patients and were more frequent with Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets than with placebo: cough increase, dysmenorrhea, ecchymosis, emotional lability, epistaxis, hyperkinesia, manic reaction, rash, sinusitis, and weight decrease.
Male and Female Sexual Dysfunction with SSRIs
Although changes in sexual desire, sexual performance and sexual satisfaction often occur as manifestations of a psychiatric disorder and with aging, they may also be a consequence of pharmacologic treatment. In particular, some evidence suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can cause such untoward sexual experiences.
Reliable estimates of the incidence and severity of untoward experiences involving sexual desire, performance and satisfaction are difficult to obtain, however, in part because patients and physicians may be reluctant to discuss them. Accordingly, estimates of the incidence of untoward sexual experience and performance cited in product labeling are likely to underestimate their actual incidence.
Table 3 displays the incidence of sexual side effects reported by at least 2% of patients taking Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets in placebo-controlled trials in depression and OCD.
TABLE 3 PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS REPORTING SEXUAL ADVERSE REACTIONS IN ADULT PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIALS IN OCD AND DEPRESSION
|
Fluvoxamine Maleate
Tablets
N = 892
|
Placebo
N = 778
|
| * Based on the number of male patients. |
| Abnormal Ejaculation* |
8% |
1% |
| Impotence* |
2% |
1% |
| Decreased Libido |
2% |
1% |
| Anorgasmia |
2% |
0% |
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies examining sexual dysfunction with fluvoxamine treatment.
Fluvoxamine treatment has been associated with several cases of priapism. In those cases with a known outcome, patients recovered without sequelae and upon discontinuation of fluvoxamine.
While it is difficult to know the precise risk of sexual dysfunction associated with the use of SSRIs, physicians should routinely inquire about such possible side effects.
Vital Sign Changes
Comparisons of fluvoxamine maleate and placebo groups in separate pools of short-term OCD and depression trials on (1) median change from baseline on various vital signs variables and on (2) incidence of patients meeting criteria for potentially important changes from baseline on various vital signs variables revealed no important differences between fluvoxamine maleate and placebo.
Laboratory Changes
Comparisons of fluvoxamine maleate and placebo groups in separate pools of short-term OCD and depression trials on (1) median change from baseline on various serum chemistry, hematology, and urinalysis variables and on (2) incidence of patients meeting criteria for potentially important changes from baseline on various serum chemistry, hematology, and urinalysis variables revealed no important differences between fluvoxamine maleate and placebo.
ECG Changes
Comparisons of fluvoxamine maleate and placebo groups in separate pools of short-term OCD and depression trials on (1) mean change from baseline on various ECG variables and on (2) incidence of patients meeting criteria for potentially important changes from baseline on various ECG variables revealed no important differences between fluvoxamine maleate and placebo.
Other Reactions Observed During the Premarketing Evaluation of Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets
During premarketing clinical trials conducted in North America and Europe, multiple doses of fluvoxamine maleate were administered for a combined total of 2737 patient exposures in patients suffering OCD or Major Depressive Disorder. Untoward reactions associated with this exposure were recorded by clinical investigators using descriptive terminology of their own choosing. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate of the proportion of individuals experiencing adverse reactions without first grouping similar types of untoward reactions into a limited (i.e., reduced) number of standard reaction categories.
In the tabulations which follow, a standard COSTART-based Dictionary terminology has been used to classify reported adverse reactions. If the COSTART term for a reaction was so general as to be uninformative, it was replaced with a more informative term. The frequencies presented, therefore, represent the proportion of the 2737 patient exposures to multiple doses of fluvoxamine maleate who experienced a reaction of the type cited on at least one occasion while receiving fluvoxamine maleate. All reported reactions are included in the list below, with the following exceptions: 1) those reactions already listed in Table 2, which tabulates incidence rates of common adverse experiences in placebo-controlled OCD and depression clinical trials, are excluded; 2) those reactions for which a drug cause was not considered likely are omitted; 3) reactions for which the COSTART term was too vague to be clinically meaningful and could not be replaced with a more informative term; and 4) reactions which were reported in only one patient and judged to not be potentially serious are not included. It is important to emphasize that, although the reactions reported did occur during treatment with fluvoxamine maleate, a causal relationship to fluvoxamine maleate has not been established.
Reactions are further classified within body system categories and enumerated in order of decreasing frequency using the following definitions: frequent adverse reactions are defined as those occurring on one or more occasions in at least 1/100 patients; infrequent adverse reactions are those occurring between 1/100 and 1/1000 patients; and rare adverse reactions are those occurring in less than 1/1000 patients.
Body as a Whole –
Frequent: malaise; Infrequent: photosensitivity reaction and suicide attempt.
Cardiovascular System –
Frequent: syncope.
Digestive System –
Infrequent: gastrointestinal hemorrhage and melena; Rare: hematemesis.
Hemic and Lymphatic Systems –
Infrequent: anemia and ecchymosis; Rare: purpura.
Metabolic and Nutritional Systems –
Frequent: weight gain and weight loss.
Nervous System –
Frequent: hyperkinesia, manic reaction, and myoclonus; Infrequent: abnormal dreams, akathisia, convulsion, dyskinesia, dystonia, euphoria, extrapyramidal syndrome, and twitching; Rare: withdrawal syndrome.
Respiratory System –
Infrequent: epistaxis. Rare: hemoptysis and laryngismus.
Skin – Infrequent: urticaria.
Urogenital System* –
Infrequent: hematuria, menorrhagia, and vaginal hemorrhage; Rare: hematospermia.
* Based on the number of males or females, as appropriate.
Postmarketing Reports
Voluntary reports of adverse reactions in patients taking Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets that have been received since market introduction and are of unknown causal relationship to Fluvoxamine Maleate Tablets use include: acute renal failure, agranulocytosis, amenorrhea, anaphylactic reaction, angioedema, aplastic anemia, bullous eruption, Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, hepatitis, ileus, pancreatitis, porphyria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, vasculitis, and ventricular tachycardia (including torsades de pointes).
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