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Escitalopram in the treatment of social anxiety disorder

Randomised, placebo-controlled, flexible-dosage study

Department of General Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Dan J. Stein, PhD, FRCP

University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa and University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

Henrik Loft, PhD

H. Lundbeck A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark

Rico Nil, PD, Dr.sc.nat., ETH

Lundbeck (Switzerland) Ltd, Glattbrugg, Switzerland

Correspondence: Professor Siegfried Kasper, Department of General Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. Tel: +43 1 40400 3568; fax: +43 1 40400 3099; e-mail: sci-genpsy{at}meduniwien.ac.at

Declaration of interest The study was sponsoredby H. Lundbeck A/S. Other funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are effective in the treatment of social anxiety disorder and are currently regarded as the pharmacotherapy of choice.

Aims To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram in the treatment of generalised social anxiety disorder.

Method Patients with generalised social anxiety disorder were randomised to receive placebo (n=177) or 10-20 mg escitalopram (n=181) in a 12-week, double-blind trial. The primary outcome measure was the mean change from baseline to last assessment in the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) total score.

Results The study showed a statistically superior therapeutic effect for escitalopram compared with placebo on the LSAS total score (P=0.005). There were significantly more responders to treatment for escitalopram than for placebo (54% v. 39%; P<0.01). The clinical relevance of these findings was supported by significant reduction in the work and social components of the Sheehan Disability Scale and by the good tolerability of escitalopram treatment.

Conclusions Escitalopram was efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of generalised social anxiety disorder.

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