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Sertraline in the treatment of panic disorder

A multi-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose investigation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Peter D. Londborg ,
Robert Wolkow ,
Ward T. Smith ,
Eugene Duboff ,
Donald England ,
James Ferguson ,
Murray Rosenthal  and
Charles Weise
Peter D. Londborg*
Affiliation:
Summit Research Network, Seattle, Washington, USA
Robert Wolkow
Affiliation:
Pfizer Inc., New York, USA
Ward T. Smith
Affiliation:
Summit Research Network, Portland, Oregon, USA
Eugene Duboff
Affiliation:
Center for Behavioral Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA
Donald England
Affiliation:
Peacehealth Medical Group, Eugene, Oregon, USA
James Ferguson
Affiliation:
Pharmacology Research Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Murray Rosenthal
Affiliation:
Behavioral Medical Research, San Diego, California, USA
Charles Weise
Affiliation:
Charleston, West Virginia, USA
*
Dr P. Londborg, Summit Research Network, 901 Boren Avenue, Suite 1800, Seattle, WA, USA 98104. Fax: 206 624 6975
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Abstract

Background

This study compared the efficacy and safety of sertraline to placebo in treating panic disorder.

Method

178 out-patients with panic disorder who exhibited at least four panic attacks during the four weeks prior to screening and three during the two weeks of lead-in were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with sertraline (50, 100 or 200 mg) or placebo.

Results

Sertraline was superior to placebo in reducing the number of panic attacks, situational attacks, unexpected attacks, limited symptom attacks, and time spent worrying (all P < 0.01) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (P < 0.05), although Clinical Global Impression (Improvement) did not significantly differentiate groups at 12 weeks and at end-point. No serious adverse events were associated with sertraline. No dose relationship was found for adverse events; overall drop-out rates were not different for sertraline or placebo, although more sertraline-treated subjects discontinued for adverse events, typically early in the study. Only dry mouth and ejaculation failure (primarily ejaculation delay) were associated significantly with sertraline. Conclusions Sertraline was effective and safe in reducing panic attacks. Higher doses were no more effective than the 50 mg dose.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 173 , Issue 1 , July 1998 , pp. 54 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

Declaration of interest

R.W. is a Senior Associate Medical Director at Pfizer Inc.

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