Prevalence of trait anxiety in a sample of depressed inpatients and its influence on response to antidepressants.
Depression and anxiety frequently occur together or in extension of each other. According to a previous study in depressed inpatients, a high trait anxiety level correlated with a positive response to the diazepam test (DT) and a low trait anxiety level with a negative response to the test. The aim of this study is to investigate whether positive reaction to the DT is related to a positive response to fluvoxamine and whether a negative reaction to the test is related to positive response to imipramine. The DT was performed in 130 patients diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Following the DT, the patients were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with either imipramine or fluvoxamine. Doses of both antidepressants were adjusted to attain predefined blood levels, and the outcome was evaluated 4 weeks after attaining these blood levels. Twenty-two patients had a positive response to the DT, whereas 108 patients had a negative response. Although a positive DT is correlated with a high level of trait anxiety, no differences in depressive symptomatology and antidepressant response were found between patients with a positive and a negative DT.
Heijnen
W T C J
WT
Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
van den Broek
W W
WW
Mulder
P G H
PG
Birkenhäger
T K
TK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003975:Diazepam; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016666:Fluvoxamine; D007099:Imipramine; D003975:Diazepam