By Will Boggs, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – EMLA, an anesthetic cream, is
effective in treating premature ejaculation, according to a
report by researchers in Turkey.
“Topical EMLA cream alone seems a reasonable, inexpensive,
effective, and easily applicable treatment modality for
premature ejaculation treatment,” co-author Dr. Altug Tuncel
from Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, told
Reuters Health.
Tuncel and colleagues assigned 84 men with premature
ejaculation to receive sildenafil (Viagra) alone; EMLA alone;
sildenafil plus topical EMLA; or placebo.
The rates of effectiveness were 40 percent for placebo, 55
percent for sildenafil alone, 86.4 percent for the combination
of sildenafil plus EMLA, and 77.3 percent for EMLA alone, the
authors report.
The differences between placebo and sildenafil only and
between the combination of sildenafil plus EMLA and EMLA only
were not statistically significant, the results indicate.
However, the combination treatment and EMLA only were
significantly better than sildenafil alone and placebo alone
according to the study, published in the February issue of
Urology.
Headache and flushing occurred in patients taking
sildenafil as part of their treatment, the researchers note,
but no side effects were reported by patients taking placebo or
EMLA only.
“Topical EMLA cream alone had effectiveness equal to that
of the combination treatment,” the authors note.
SOURCE: Urology, February 2006.
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