title: Comparison of venlafaxine extended release versus paroxetine for treatment of patients with generalized anxiety disorder.
abstract: This trial was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine extended release (XR) and paroxetine for treatment of patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Sixty patients who met DSM-IV criteria for GAD were randomly assigned to either venlafaxine XR or paroxetine for 8 weeks. Efficacy was assessed with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness (CGI-S) scale at the baseline, week 1, week 4, and week 8. The side-effects were collected with reported adverse events and laboratory tests throughout the study period. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the HAM-A and CGI-S scores showed a significant decrease over time in both treatment groups without significant group difference or time x group interaction effect. There were no serious adverse events in both groups. This open trial demonstrated that either venlafaxine XR or paroxetine would be effective and tolerable for the treatment of patients with GAD. Double blind, placebo-controlled head-to-head comparison studies are needed to draw a definite conclusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kangnam St Mary's Hospital, and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Suk
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chi-Un
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Pae
authors.forename: Su-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Won-Myong
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bahk
authors.forename: Tae-Youn
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Won-Ihl
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Jeong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chae
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013546:Sweating; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride