A brief anxiety rating scale in evaluating anxiolytics

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Anxiety disorders are prevalent and often treated with anxiolytic medications.
• Accurate assessment of anxiety severity and treatment response is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Wang Anxiety Rating Scale (WARS) for assessing anxiety in patients receiving anxiolytic medication.
• To compare the WARS with the established Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS).

Main Methods:

• A single-blind study involving 20 chronically anxious patients.
• Patients received placebo, 15 mg, and 22.5 mg of clorazepate dipotassium over distinct periods.
• Anxiety levels were assessed using WARS and HARS, alongside a side effect scale and global assessment.

Main Results:

• A highly significant correlation (P < 0.001) was observed between WARS and HARS scores.
• WARS demonstrated a stronger correlation with global assessment of improvement than HARS.
• Correlated changes in WARS, HARS, and global assessment scores indicated the efficacy of active medication.

Conclusions:

• The Wang Anxiety Rating Scale (WARS) is a valid and reliable tool for measuring anxiety in patients undergoing anxiolytic treatment.
• WARS shows comparable, and in some aspects superior, performance to HARS in reflecting treatment outcomes.