Pilot open-label study of nefazodone in panic disorder

Ten patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for non-comorbid panic disorder or panic disorder with agoraphobia were treated in a 12-week open-label, flexible dosage trial of nefazodone. Dosages ranged from 50 to 400 mg per day. Clinical assessment utilized several recently developed scales of panic disorder severity, as well as the clinical global impression scale. At the conclusion of the study, 9 out of 10 patients were rated much improved with 7 of the patients rated as panic free and in full remission. Significantly improved scores were reflected by all of the scales. Low sample size and absence of placebo control indicate the need for a large placebo-controlled trial. The results of this pilot study suggest that nefazodone may be promising in the treatment of panic and justify further research.