Effect of clorazepate on depressed mood in anxious patients

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of clorazepate in the treatment of 189 patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of an anxiolytic on the depressed-mood component of anxiety. Clorazepate-treated patients with concomitant high levels of depressed mood, defined as a score of 60 or above on the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), showed significant improvement of anxiety symptomatology, as measured by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and of depressed mood, as measured by the SDS, compared with placebo-treated patients (all p values less than .01).