title: Efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram in treatment of major depressive disorder with anxiety symptoms: a 24-week, open-label, prospective study in Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Significant anxiety symptoms are associated with poor clinical course and outcome in major depressive disorder (MDD). This single-arm, open-label study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram treatment in patients with MDD and anxiety symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients with MDD and anxiety symptoms (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] ≥22 and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAM-A] ≥14) were enrolled and received escitalopram (10-20 mg/day) treatment for 24 weeks. Symptom status was assessed by MADRS, 17-item-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HAM-A, and Clinical Global Impression Scale at baseline and the following visits. Quality of life was assessed by Short Form-12, and safety was evaluated by adverse events, laboratory investigations, vital signs, and physical findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 200 of 318 (66.2%) enrolled patients completed the 24-week treatment. The remission (MADRS ≤10 and HAM-A ≤7) rate in the full analysis set (N=285) was 73.3% (95% confidence interval: 67.80, 78.38) at week 24. Mean (± standard deviation) MADRS total score was 33.4 (±7.13) and HAM-A score was 27.6 (±7.26) at baseline, which reduced to 6.6 (±10.18) and 6.0 (±8.39), respectively, at week 24. Patients with higher baseline depression and anxiety level took longer to achieve similar remission rates. Overall, 80 of the 302 (26.5%) patients included in the safety set reported at least 1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). Most frequently reported TEAEs (>2%) were headache (4.0%), nasopharyngitis (3.6%), nausea (3.0%), and dizziness (2.6%). Serious TEAEs were reported by 1.3% patients; no deaths were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Escitalopram 10-20 mg/day was effective and well-tolerated in the long-term treatment of MDD with anxiety symptoms in adult Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai.
authors.forename: Kaida
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department,The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha.
authors.forename: Lingjiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, First affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang.
authors.forename: Xueyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan.
authors.forename: Maosheng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, Hangzhou the 7th Hospital, Hangzhou.
authors.forename: Jianfei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing.
authors.forename: Qiuyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, First affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou.
authors.forename: Jincai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Medical Affairs Department, Xi'an Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jinan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Medical Affairs Department, Xi'an Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weihao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Medical Affairs Department, Xi'an Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cuili
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: Chinese; anxiety; escitalopram; long term; major depressive disorder