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Newer antidepressants and panic disorder: a meta-analysis
Costanza Andrisano1, Alberto Chiesa, Alessandro Serretti
1Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Italy.
International Clinical Psychopharmacology
|November 1, 2012
Summary
This study compared newer antidepressants for panic disorder (PD). Venlafaxine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors showed effectiveness, with specific drugs excelling for panic and anxiety symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Panic disorder (PD) is often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and venlafaxine.
- A systematic comparison of newer antidepressants for PD treatment is currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically compare the efficacy of newer antidepressants in treating panic disorder.
- To evaluate effectiveness for panic symptoms, overall anxiety, and dropout rates.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis of 50 eligible studies involving 5236 patients with PD.
- Included studies compared newer antidepressants against placebo, with outcomes measured by changes in panic and anxiety symptoms and dropout rates.
Main Results:
- Citalopram, sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine, and venlafaxine were superior to placebo for panic symptoms.
- Paroxetine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, citalopram, venlafaxine, and mirtazapine were effective for overall anxiety symptoms.
- Most antidepressants showed significantly lower dropout rates compared to placebo, with exceptions for reboxetine and fluvoxamine.
Conclusions:
- Several newer antidepressants demonstrate efficacy in treating panic disorder.
- Further head-to-head comparisons are necessary due to study inconsistencies and limited evidence for some agents.
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