A placebo-controlled study of enciprazine in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a preliminary report.
Enciprazine is a propanolamine derivative with a preclinical profile similar to buspirone but with less affinity for the postsynaptic dopamine receptor (Linden et al. 1988). We report on the outcome, using intent-to-treat data, of a 5-week, double-blind trial comparing three dose strengths of enciprazine (5 mg t.i.d., 10 mg t.i.d., and 20 mg t.i.d.) to placebo. A dose escalation was permitted after 2 weeks of active drug treatment, which 61 percent of patients overall took advantage of. A "last observation carried forward" (LOCF) analysis found a mean improvement in Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) scores by Week 5 of -11.0 for the combined enciprazine treatment groups, and -4.4 for the placebo group (p less than .05). Fifty-two percent of enciprazine patients were judged to be "much" or "very much" improved, whereas none of the placebo patients were judged to have comparable improvement. Enciprazine was well-tolerated, with low levels of sedative and asthenic side effects reported. The compound appears to have promise as an anxiolytic agent.
Schweizer
E
E
Psychopharmacology Research Unit, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Rickels
K
K
Csanalosi
I
I
London
J
J
Turner
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010879:Piperazines; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents; C057238:enciprazine