Bromazepam versus diazepam in psychoneurotic inpatients

A double blind between-groups trial was carried out to compare the effectiveness of the new benzodiazepine compound, bromazepam, (Lexotan, Ro 5-3350) as an anti-anxiety compound with that of diazepan. The fifty-eight psychoneurotic inpatients admitted to the trial were divided into two groups, "obsessives" and "neurotics", in order to assess any specific action of the drug. Assessment was made by means of B.P.R.S. of Overall and Gorham, R.S.A.S. of Hamilton, P.R.S. of Wittenborn and I.M.P.S. of Lorr. The results showed that bromazepam has a general therapeutic effectiveness (though not always as great as that of diazepam) as an anti-anxiety agent, while no difference in the effects of the two drugs was found between the two psychopathologic groups; with both treatments the "obsessives" responded less than the "neurotics". Detailed evaluation of the individual items of the I.M.P.S. showed that bromazepam is likely to exert a disinhibiting or "activating" action, unlike most other benzodiazepines in clinical use.