Objective: To assess the impact of vitamin B12 levels in the failure of the dapoxetine used in premature ejaculation (PE) treatment.
Study design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of the Study: Andrology Clinic, between May and December 2020.
Methodology: Patients with premature ejaculation complaints completed the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) questionnaire. Patients were also asked to fill in the Premature Ejaculation Profile (PEP) surveys. Intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) were recorded based on the estimates of patients. Serum vitamin B12 levels were evaluated based on blood samples. All patients were advised to use dapoxetine 30 mg, 1-3 hours prior to intercourse. After four weeks, patients were asked to complete the PEP questionnaire again. IELT times were recorded.
Results: A total of 62 patients were included in the study. A total of 39 patients (62.90%) were satisfied with the treatment of the dapoxetine. In comparison to patients who benefited from dapoxetine treatment and those who did not, vitamin B12 levels of patients who did not benefit from dapoxetine were found to be significantly lower (p=0.005).
Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency can reduce the effectiveness of dapoxetine treatment in patients with PE. It is important to evaluate serum vitamin B12 levels for the evaluation of patients with PE.
Key words: Premature ejaculation, Dapoxetine, Vitamin B12, Serotonin, Treatment.