Associated with Discontinuation of Treatment

Of the 1087 OCD and depressed patients treated with fluvoxamine maleate in controlled clinical trials conducted in North America, 22% discontinued treatment due to an adverse event. The most common events ( ≥ 1%) associated with discontinuation and considered to be drug related (i.e., those events associated with dropout at a rate at least twice that of placebo) included:

TABLE 6: ADVERSE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DISCONTINUATION OF TREATMENT IN OCD AND DEPRESSION POPULATIONS

Incidence in Controlled Trials

Commonly Observed Adverse Events in Controlled Clinical Trials: LUVOX Tablets have been studied in 10-week short-term controlled trials of OCD (N = 320) and depression (N = 1350). In general, adverse event rates were similar in the two data sets as well as in the pediatric OCD study. The most commonly observed adverse events associated with the use of LUVOX Tablets and likely to be drug-related (incidence of 5% or greater and at least twice that for placebo) derived from Table 7 were: abnormal ejaculation, anorexia, asthenia, dyspepsia, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, somnolence, sweating, tremor and vomiting. In a pool of two studies involving only patients with OCD, the following additional events 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 events were identified using the above rule: agitation, depression, dysmenorrhea, flatulence, hyperkinesia, and rash.

Adverse Events Occurring at an Incidence of 1%: Table 7 enumerates adverse events that occurred in adults at a frequency of 1% or more, and were more frequent than in the placebo group, among patients treated with LUVOX 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 an event at some time during their treatment. Reported adverse events 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 7: TREATMENT-EMERGENT ADVERSE EVENT INCIDENCE RATES BY BODY SYSTEM IN ADULT OCD AND DEPRESSION POPULATIONS COMBINED¹

Adverse Events in OCD Placebo Controlled Studies Which are Markedly Different (defined as at least a two-fold difference) in Rate from the Pooled Event Rates in OCD and Depression Placebo Controlled Studies: The events in OCD studies with a two-fold decrease in rate compared to event rates in OCD and depression studies were dysphagia and amblyopia (mostly blurred vision). Additionally, there was an approximate 25% decrease in nausea.

The events in OCD studies with a two-fold increase in rate compared to event rates in OCD and depression studies were: asthenia, abnormal ejaculation (mostly delayed ejaculation), anxiety, infection, rhinitis, anorgasmia (in males), depression, libido decreased, pharyngitis, agitation, impotence, myoclonus/twitch, thirst, weight loss, leg cramps, myalgia and urinary retention. These events are listed in order of decreasing rates in the OCD trials.

Other Adverse Events in OCD Pediatric Population

In pediatric patients (N = 57) treated with LUVOX Tablets, the overall profile of adverse events was generally similar to that seen in adult studies, as shown in Table 7. However, the following adverse events, not appearing in Table 7, were reported in two or more of the pediatric patients and were more frequent with LUVOX Tablets than with placebo: abnormal thinking, cough increase, dysmenorrhea, ecchymosis, emotional lability, epistaxis, hyperkinesia, infection, 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 8 displays the incidence of sexual side effects reported by at least 2% of patients taking LUVOX Tablets in placebo-controlled trials in depression and OCD.

TABLE 8: PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS REPORTING SEXUAL ADVERSE EVENTS IN ADULT PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIALS IN OCD AND DEPRESSION

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 Events Observed During the Premarketing Evaluation of LUVOX 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 events 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 events without first grouping similar types of untoward events into a limited (i.e., reduced) number of standard event categories.

In the tabulations which follow, a standard COSTART-based Dictionary terminology has been used to classify reported adverse events. If the COSTART term for an event 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 an event of the type cited on at least one occasion while receiving fluvoxamine maleate. All reported events are included in the list below, with the following exceptions: 1) those events already listed in Table 7, which tabulates incidence rates of common adverse experiences in placebo-controlled OCD and depression clinical trials, are excluded; 2) those events for which a drug cause was considered remote (i.e., neoplasia, gastrointestinal carcinoma, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, application site reaction, and unintended pregnancy) are omitted; and 3) events 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 events reported did occur during treatment with fluvoxamine maleate, a causal relationship to fluvoxamine maleate has not been established.

Events are further classified within body system categories and enumerated in order of decreasing frequency using the following definitions: frequent adverse events are defined as those occurring on one or more occasions in at least 1/100 patients; infrequent adverse events are those occurring between 1/100 and 1/1000 patients; and rare adverse events are those occurring in less than 1/1000 patients.

Body as a Whole: Frequent: accidental injury, malaise; Infrequent: allergic reaction, neck pain, neck rigidity, overdose, photosensitivity reaction, suicide attempt; Rare: cyst, pelvic pain, sudden death.

Cardiovascular System: Frequent: hypertension, hypotension, syncope, tachycardia; Infrequent: angina pectoris, bradycardia, cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular disease, cold extremities, conduction delay, heart failure, myocardial infarction, pallor, pulse irregular, ST segment changes; Rare: AV block, cerebrovascular accident, coronary artery disease, embolus, pericarditis, phlebitis, pulmonary infarction, supraventricular extrasystoles.

Digestive System: Frequent: elevated liver transaminases; Infrequent: colitis, eructation, esophagitis, gastritis, gastroenteritis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, gastrointestinal ulcer, gingivitis, glossitis, hemorrhoids, melena, rectal hemorrhage, stomatitis; Rare: biliary pain, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, fecal incontinence, hematemesis, intestinal obstruction, jaundice.

Endocrine System: Infrequent: hypothyroidism; Rare: goiter.

Hemic and Lymphatic Systems: Infrequent: anemia, ecchymosis, leukocytosis, lymphadenopathy, thrombocytopenia; Rare: leukopenia, purpura.

Metabolic and Nutritional Systems: Frequent: edema, weight gain, weight loss; Infrequent: dehydration, hypercholesterolemia; Rare: diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypoglycemia, hypokalemia, lactate dehydrogenase increased.

Musculoskeletal System: Infrequent: arthralgia, arthritis, bursitis, generalized muscle spasm, myasthenia, tendinous contracture, tenosynovitis; Rare: arthrosis, myopathy, pathological fracture.

Nervous System: Frequent: amnesia, apathy, hyperkinesia, hypokinesia, manic reaction, myoclonus, psychotic reaction; Infrequent: agoraphobia, akathisia, ataxia, CNS depression, convulsion, delirium, delusion, depersonalization, drug dependence, dyskinesia, dystonia, emotional lability, euphoria, extrapyramidal syndrome, gait unsteady, hallucinations, hemiplegia, hostility, hypersomnia, hypochondriasis, hypotonia, hysteria, incoordination, increased salivation, increased libido, neuralgia, paralysis, paranoid reaction, phobia, psychosis, sleep disorder, stupor, twitching, vertigo; Rare: akinesia, coma, fibrillations, mutism, obsessions, reflexes decreased, slurred speech, tardive dyskinesia, torticollis, trismus, withdrawal syndrome.

Respiratory System: Frequent: cough increased, sinusitis; Infrequent: asthma, bronchitis, epistaxis, hoarseness, hyperventilation; Rare: apnea, congestion of upper airway, hemoptysis, hiccups, laryngismus, obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia.

Skin: Infrequent: acne, alopecia, dry skin, eczema, exfoliative dermatitis, furunculosis, seborrhea, skin discoloration, urticaria.

Special Senses: Infrequent: accommodation abnormal, conjunctivitis, deafness, diplopia, dry eyes, ear pain, eye pain, mydriasis, otitis media, parosmia, photophobia, taste loss, visual field defect; Rare: corneal ulcer, retinal detachment.

Urogenital System: Infrequent: anuria, breast pain, cystitis, delayed menstruation^1, dysuria, female lactation¹, hematuria, menopause¹, menorrhagia¹, metrorrhagia¹, nocturia, polyuria, premenstrual syndrome¹, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infection, urinary urgency, urination impaired, vaginal hemorrhage¹, vaginitis¹; Rare: kidney calculus, hematospermia², oliguria.

REFERENCES

¹ Based on the number of females.

² Based on the number of males.

Postmarketing Reports

Voluntary reports of adverse events in patients taking LUVOX Tablets that have been received since market introduction and are of unknown causal relationship to LUVOX Tablets use include: acute renal failure, agranulocytosis, amenorrhea, anaphylactic reaction, angioedema, aplastic anemia, bullous eruption, Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, hepatitis, hyponatremia, ileus, laryngismus, neuropathy, pancreatitis, porphyria, priapism, serotonin syndrome, severe akinesia with fever when fluvoxamine was co-administered with antipsychotic medication, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, vasculitis, and ventricular tachycardia (including torsades de pointes).

Drug Abuse And Dependence

Controlled Substance Class

LUVOX Tablets are not controlled substances.

Physical and Psychological Dependence

The potential for abuse, tolerance and physical dependence with fluvoxamine maleate has been studied in a nonhuman primate model. No evidence of dependency phenomena was found. The discontinuation effects of LUVOX Tablets were not systematically evaluated in controlled clinical trials. LUVOX Tablets were not systematically studied in clinical trials for potential for abuse, but there was no indication of drug-seeking behavior in clinical trials. It should be noted, however, that patients at risk for drug dependency were systematically excluded from investigational studies of fluvoxamine maleate. Generally, it is not possible to predict on the basis of preclinical or premarketing clinical experience the extent to which a CNS active drug will be misused, diverted, and/or abused once marketed. Consequently, physicians should carefully evaluate patients for a history of drug abuse and follow such patients closely, observing them for signs of fluvoxamine maleate misuse or abuse (i.e., development of tolerance, incrementation of dose, drug-seeking behavior).

As with all drugs, the potential for interaction by a variety of mechanisms is a possibility.

Potential Interactions with Drugs that Inhibit or are Metabolized by Cytochrome P450 Isoenzymes: Multiple hepatic cytochrome P450 isoenzymes are involved in the oxidative biotransformation of a large number of structurally different drugs and endogenous compounds. The available knowledge concerning the relationship of fluvoxamine and the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme system has been obtained mostly from pharmacokinetic interaction studies conducted in healthy volunteers, but some preliminary in vitro data are also available. Based on a finding of substantial interactions of fluvoxamine with certain of these drugs (see later parts of this section and also WARNINGS for details) and limited in vitro data for CYP3A4, it appears that fluvoxamine inhibits several cytochrome P450 isoenzymes that are known to be involved in the metabolism of other drugs such as: CYP1A2 (e.g. warfarin, theophylline, propranolol, tizanidine), CYP2C9 (e.g. warfarin), CYP3A4 (e.g. alprazolam), and CYP2C19 (e.g. omeprazole).

In vitro data suggest that fluvoxamine is a relatively weak inhibitor of CYP2D6.

Approximately 7% of the normal population has a genetic code that leads to reduced levels of activity of CYP2D6. Such individuals have been referred to as “poor metabolizers” (PM) of drugs such as debrisoquin, dextromethorphan, and tricyclic antidepressants. While none of the drugs studied for drug interactions significantly affected the pharmacokinetics of fluvoxamine, an in vivo study of fluvoxamine single-dose pharmacokinetics in 13 PM subjects demonstrated altered pharmacokinetic properties compared to 16 “extensive metabolizers” (EM): mean Cmax, AUC, and half-life were increased by 52%, 200%, and 62%, respectively, in the PM compared to the EM group. This suggests that fluvoxamine is metabolized, at least in part, by CYP2D6. Caution is indicated in patients known to have reduced levels of CYP2D6 activity and those receiving concomitant drugs known to inhibit this cytochrome P450 isoenzyme (e.g. quinidine).

The metabolism of fluvoxamine has not been fully characterized and the effects of potent cytochrome P450 isoenzyme inhibition, such as the ketoconazole inhibition of CYP3A4, on fluvoxamine metabolism have not been studied.

A clinically significant fluvoxamine interaction is possible with drugs having a narrow therapeutic ratio such as pimozide, warfarin, theophylline, certain benzodiazepines, omeprazole and phenytoin. If LUVOX Tablets are to be administered together with a drug that is eliminated via oxidative metabolism and has a narrow therapeutic window, plasma levels and/or pharmacodynamic effects of the latter drug should be monitored closely, at least until steady-state conditions are reached. (See CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS.)

CNS Active Drugs

Antipsychotics: See WARNINGS – Other Potentially Important Drug Interactions – Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) or NMS-Like Events.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors: See CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS.

Alprazolam: See WARNINGS.

Diazepam: See WARNINGS.

Alcohol: Studies involving single 40 g doses of ethanol (oral administration in one study and intravenous in the other) and multiple dosing with fluvoxamine maleate (50 mg b.i.d.) revealed no effect of either drug on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of the other.

Carbamazepine: Elevated carbamazepine levels and symptoms of toxicity have been reported with the co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate and carbamazepine.

Clozapine: Elevated serum levels of clozapine have been reported in patients taking fluvoxamine maleate and clozapine. Since clozapine related seizures and orthostatic hypotension appear to be dose related, the risk of these adverse events may be higher when fluvoxamine and clozapine are co-administered. Patients should be closely monitored when fluvoxamine maleate and clozapine are used concurrently.

Lithium: As with other serotonergic drugs, lithium may enhance the serotonergic effects of fluvoxamine and, therefore, the combination should be used with caution. Seizures have been reported with the co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate and lithium.

Lorazepam: A study of multiple doses of fluvoxamine maleate (50 mg b.i.d.) in healthy male volunteers (N = 12) and a single dose of lorazepam (4 mg single dose) indicated no significant pharmacokinetic interaction. On average, both lorazepam alone and lorazepam with fluvoxamine produced substantial decrements in cognitive functioning; however, the co-administration of fluvoxamine and lorazepam did not produce larger mean decrements compared to lorazepam alone.

Methadone: Significantly increased methadone (plasma level:dose) ratios have been reported when fluvoxamine maleate was administered to patients receiving maintenance methadone treatment, with symptoms of opioid intoxication in one patient. Opioid withdrawal symptoms were reported following fluvoxamine maleate discontinuation in another patient.

Ramelteon: When fluvoxamine 100 mg twice daily was administered for 3 days prior to single-dose co-administration of ramelteon 16 mg and fluvoxamine, the AUC for ramelteon increased approximately 190-fold and the Cmax increased approximately 70-fold compared to ramelteon administered alone. Ramelteon should not be used in combination with fluvoxamine (see WARNINGS).

Serotonergic Drugs: Based on the mechanism of action of fluvoxamine and the potential for serotonin syndrome, caution is advised when fluvoxamine is co-administered with other drugs that may affect the serotonergic neurotransmitter systems, such as triptans, linezolid (an antibiotic which is a reversible non-selective MAOI), lithium, tramadol or St. John's Wort (see WARNINGS – Serotonin Syndrome). The concomitant use of fluvoxamine with other SSRI's, SNRI's, or tryptophan is not recommended (see PRECAUTIONS – DRUG INTERACTIONS).

Sumatriptan: There have been rare postmarketing reports describing patients with weakness, hyperreflexia, and incoordination following the use of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and sumatriptan. If concomitant treatment with sumatriptan and an SSRI (e.g., fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline) is clinically warranted, appropriate observation of the patient is advised.

Tacrine: In a study of 13 healthy, male volunteers, a single 40 mg dose of tacrine added to fluvoxamine 100 mg/day administered at steady-state was associated with five- and eight-fold increases in tacrine Cmax and AUC, respectively, compared to the administration of tacrine alone. Five subjects experienced nausea, vomiting, sweating, and diarrhea following co-administration, consistent with the cholinergic effects of tacrine.

Thioridazine: See CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS.

Tizanidine: See CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS.

Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Significantly increased plasma TCA levels have been reported with the co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate and amitriptyline, clomipramine or imipramine. Caution is indicated with the co-administration of LUVOX Tablets and TCAs; plasma TCA concentrations may need to be monitored, and the dose of TCA may need to be reduced.

Triptans: There have been rare postmarketing reports of serotonin syndrome with use of an SSRI and a triptan. If concomitant treatment of fluvoxamine with a triptan is clinically warranted, careful observation of the patient is advised, particularly during treatment initiation and dose increases (see WARNINGS – Serotonin Syndrome).

Tryptophan: Tryptophan may enhance the serotonergic effects of fluvoxamine, and the combination should, therefore, be used with caution. Severe vomiting has been reported with the co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate and tryptophan.

Other Drugs

Theophylline: See WARNINGS.

Warfarin: See WARNINGS.

Alosetron: Because alosetron is metabolized by a variety of hepatic CYP drug metabolizing enzymes, inducers or inhibitors of these enzymes may change the clearance of alosetron. Fluvoxamine is a known potent inhibitor of CYP1A2 and also inhibits CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19. In a pharmacokinetic study, 40 healthy female subjects received fluvoxamine in escalating doses from 50 mg to 200 mg a day for 16 days, with co-administration of alosetron 1 mg on the last day. Fluvoxamine increased mean alosetron plasma concentration (AUC) approximately 6-fold and prolonged the half-life by approximately 3-fold. (See CONTRAINDICATIONS, PRECAUTIONS, and Lotronex™ (alosetron) package insert.)

Digoxin: Administration of fluvoxamine maleate 100 mg daily for 18 days (N = 8) did not significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of a 1.25 mg single intravenous dose of digoxin.

Diltiazem: Bradycardia has been reported with the co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate and diltiazem.

Propranolol and Other Beta-Blockers: Co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate 100 mg per day and propranolol 160 mg per day in normal volunteers resulted in a mean five-fold increase (range 2 to 17) in minimum propranolol plasma concentrations. In this study, there was a slight potentiation of the propranolol-induced reduction in heart rate and reduction in the exercise diastolic pressure.

One case of bradycardia and hypotension and a second case of orthostatic hypotension have been reported with the co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate and metoprolol.

If propranolol or metoprolol is co-administered with LUVOX Tablets, a reduction in the initial beta-blocker dose and more cautious dose titration are recommended. No dosage adjustment is required for LUVOX Tablets.

Co-administration of fluvoxamine maleate 100 mg per day with atenolol 100 mg per day (N = 6) did not affect the plasma concentrations of atenolol. Unlike propranolol and metoprolol which undergo hepatic metabolism, atenolol is eliminated primarily by renal excretion.

Drugs That Interfere With Hemostasis (NSAIDs, Aspirin, Warfarin, etc.)

Serotonin release by platelets plays an important role in hemostasis. Epidemiological studies of the case-control and cohort design that have demonstrated an association between use of psychotropic drugs that interfere with serotonin reuptake and the occurrence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding have also shown that concurrent use of an NSAID or aspirin potentiated the risk of bleeding. Thus, patients should be cautioned about the use of such drugs concurrently with fluvoxamine.

Effects of Smoking on Fluvoxamine Metabolism

Smokers had a 25% increase in the metabolism of fluvoxamine compared to nonsmokers.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

There are no clinical studies establishing the benefits or risks of combined use of ECT and fluvoxamine maleate.

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