Drug’s benefit for kleptomania iffy

Contrary to earlier findings, two clinical studies of the antidepressant escitalopram, trade-named Lexapro, show that it is ineffective for treating kleptomania or compulsive buying.

Author Dr. Lorrin Koran of Stanford University said the discrepancy between the older and more recent findings might be attributable to the small size of the studies or multiple causes of the conditions.

The two trials, which involved 15 and 17 subjects, respectively, were published in two psychiatry journals.

An estimated 1.2 million Americans suffer from kleptomania, and a recent survey suggested that 6% of the population could be susceptible to compulsive buying.