Etizolam in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a double-blind study versus placebo

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out in 36 patients diagnosed as suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder with associated depressive symptoms to assess the efficacy and tolerability of two unitary doses of etizolam. After a 1-week wash-out period on placebo, patients were assigned at random to receive 1 tablet twice daily of either 0.50 mg or 0.25 mg etizolam or placebo for 5 weeks. Assessments were made at entry, on Day 21 and Day 35 of the patients' condition and symptoms using a battery of four psychometric tests (the Hamilton rating scales for anxiety and for depression, the Covi scale for anxiety and the Raskin scale for depression). Ten patients were withdrawn before the end of the study, 8 because of inadequate response (4 on placebo, 3 on 0.25 mg etizolam and 1 on 0.50 mg etizolam) in spite of dosage increase to 1 tablet 3-times daily, and 2 because of side-effects (both on 0.50 mg etizolam). Analysis of the results from the remaining 26 patients showed that, at the 0.50 mg dosage level, etizolam produced significant improvement in anxiety and depressive symptoms, particularly somatic manifestations, and was significantly more effective than placebo or the 0.25 dosage regimen. Etizolam was generally well tolerated and the few side-effects reported, mainly daytime drowsiness, were of mild to moderate severity.