Psychopharmacology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Controlled comparison of the efficacy and safety of four doses of suriclone, diazepam, and placebo in generalized anxiety disorder.
The anxiolytic activity and tolerance of four doses of suriclone (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mg tid), diazepam (5 mg tid), and placebo were compared in six parallel groups of 54-59 outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder (DSM III-R). After a 1-week placebo run-in period, the patients were treated for 4 weeks, with assessments at baseline and after 1, 2, and 4 weeks by the Hamilton anxiety scale and the Clinical Global Impressions. ⋯ The number of adverse events, particularly drowsiness, was significantly higher with diazepam than with suriclone, particularly 0.1 and 0.2 mg tid which did not differ from placebo. These results demonstrate that suriclone at daily doses ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 mg tid is an effective anxiolytic, better tolerated than diazepam.