Effectiveness of Extended-Release Bupropion and Duloxetine on Pelvic Pain and Sexual Function among Patients with Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain.

Background: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of the two antidepressants, duloxetine and bupropion, on pelvic pain in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).

Materials and methods: This single-blind clinical trial was conducted on 68 CP/CPPS patients. The patients with CP/CPPS received either an extended-release formulation of 150 mg/day bupropion (bupropion group) or duloxetine 30 mg/day for 12 weeks (duloxetine group). The pain, depression (using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)), quality of life (QoL), and sexual dysfunction scores were evaluated and compared before the intervention and after 4, 12, and 16 weeks of intervention in both groups.

Results: The pain score in the duloxetine group was significantly lower than the bupropion group after 12 and 16 weeks of intervention (P value <0.05). The mean HADS and QoL scores at baseline and after 4, 12, and 16 weeks of intervention had insignificant differences between the two groups (P value >0.05) but improved in both groups. After 4 and 12 weeks of intervention, sexual dysfunction scores in the duloxetine group were higher than those in the bupropion group (P value <0.05).

Conclusions: Depression and anxiety scores were significantly reduced in both groups. Sexual function was improved in the bupropion group compared with the duloxetine group, while pain scores improved significantly in the duloxetine group. Therefore, proposing the appropriate treatment based on the experienced complications of CP/CPPS is the key element of the management of these patients; however, further studies are required to compare the long-term effects of these two regimens on CP/CPPS patients' concerns.