Role of flibanserin in managing hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) 2024-06, Vol.103 (25), p.e38592
• Main Authors: Kamrul-Hasan, A B M, Hannan, Mohammad Abdul, Alam, Muhammad Shah, Aalpona, Fatema Tuz Zahura, Nagendra, Lakshmi, Selim, Shahjada, Dutta, Deep
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Benzimidazoles - adverse effects; Benzimidazoles - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Libido - drug effects; Premenopause; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological - drug therapy; Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038592

Flibanserin, approved for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in females, has demonstrated diverse therapeutic and adverse effect (AE) prospects in the extant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This meta-analysis aimed to characterize the outcomes of flibanserin use in these patients comprehensively. RCTs involving women with HSDD receiving flibanserin in the intervention arm and placebo in the control arm were sought after throughout the electronic databases. The primary outcomes were the changes from baseline in satisfying sexual events (SSE) per month and sexual desire score per month measured using an electronic diary (eDiary). From 478 initially screened articles, data from 8 RCTs involving 7906 women with HSDD were analyzed. In premenopausal women, flibanserin 100 mg was superior to placebo in improving the number of SSE per month (mean difference, MD 0.69, 95% CI [0.39, 0.99]), eDiary sexual desire score (MD 1.71, 95% CI [0.43, 2.98]), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) desire domain (FSFI-d) score (MD 0.30, 95% CI [0.29, 0.31]), FSFI total score (MD 2.51, 95% CI [1.47, 3.55]), Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R) Item 13 score (MD -0.30, 95% CI [-0.31, -0.29]), and FSDS-R total score (MD -3.30, 95% CI [-3.37, -3.23]). Compared to placebo, a higher number of premenopausal women using flibanserin 100 mg achieved improvements in the Patient's Global Impression of Improvement score (OR 1.93, 95% CI [1.58, 2.36], P