Fluvoxamine treatment of social phobia (social anxiety disorder): a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of fluvoxamine for the treatment of social phobia (social anxiety disorder).


METHODS
In a 12-week multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 92 patients with social phobia were treated with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluvoxamine; 91.3% of the patients had the generalized subtype of the disorder. The primary criterion for response was a rating of "much improved" or "very much improved" on the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement scale. Secondary response criteria were changes on three specialized rating scales for social phobia symptoms: the Brief Social Phobia Scale, the Social Phobia Inventory, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Psychosocial impairment was assessed in three domains (disruption of work, social life, and home/family life) by using the Sheehan Disability Scale.


RESULTS
The mean daily dose of fluvoxamine was 202 mg (SD = 86). At study end or with the last observation carried forward, within the evaluable subjects (N = 86) there was a significantly higher proportion of responders in the fluvoxamine group (42.9%, N = 18) than in the placebo group (22.7%, N = 10). Similarly, fluvoxamine was superior to placebo on all social phobia rating scales at week 8 and beyond. Fluvoxamine also resulted in significantly greater decreases in measures of psychosocial disability than did placebo. Overall, fluvoxamine was well tolerated and safe.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that fluvoxamine is efficacious in the pharmacologic management of serious forms of social phobia.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome