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Efficacy of etifoxine compared to lorazepam monotherapy in the treatment of patients with adjustment disorders with anxiety: a double‐blind controlled study in general practice
Author(s) -
Nguyen N.,
Fakra E.,
Pradel V.,
Jouve E.,
Alquier C.,
Le Guern ME.,
Micallef J.,
Blin O.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.757
Subject(s) - lorazepam , anxiolytic , anxiety , benzodiazepine , hamilton anxiety rating scale , clinical global impression , rating scale , psychology , anti anxiety agents , anesthesia , medicine , psychiatry , developmental psychology , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology , placebo
Adjustment Disorders With Anxiety (ADWA) account for almost 10% of psychologically motivated consultations in primary care. The aim of this double‐blind randomised parallel group study was to compare (non‐inferiority test) the efficacies of etifoxine, a non‐benzodiazepine anxiolytic drug, and lorazepam, a benzodiazepine, for ADWA outpatients followed by general practitioners. 191 outpatients (mean age: 43, female: 66%) were assigned to receive etifoxine (50 mg tid ) or lorazepam (0.5‐0.5‐1 mg /day) for 28 days. Efficacy was evaluated on days 7 and 28 of the treatment. The main efficacy assessment criterion was the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety score (HAM‐A) on Day 28 adjusted to Day 0. The anxiolytic effect of etifoxine was found not inferior to that of lorazepam (HAM‐A score decrease: 54.6% vs 52.3%, respectively, p = 0.0006). The two drugs were equivalent on Day 28. However, more etifoxine recipients responded to the treatment (HAM‐A score decreased by ≥50%, p = 0.03). Clinical improvement (based on Clinical Global Impression scale CGI, Social Adjustment Scale Self‐Report SAS‐SR, and Sheehan scores) was observed in both treatment arms, but more etifoxine patients improved markedly ( p = 0.03) and had a marked therapeutic effect without side effects as assessed by CGI, p = 0.04. Moreover, 1 week after stopping treatment, fewer patients taking etifoxine experienced a rebound of anxiety, compared to lorazepam (1 and 8, respectively, p = 0.034). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.