Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-dk7s8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-01T20:14:31.161Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Paroxetine in social phobia/social anxiety disorder

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

David Baldwin ,
Julio Bobes ,
Dan J. Stein ,
Ingebor Scharwächter  and
Michel Faure
David Baldwin*
Affiliation:
Mental Health Group, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton
Julio Bobes
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina, Servicio de Psiquiatria, Oviedo, Spain
Dan J. Stein
Affiliation:
University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
Ingebor Scharwächter
Affiliation:
Praxis Scharwächter, Remscheid, Germany
Michel Faure
Affiliation:
Ancien Interne du CHU, Psychiatre, Hôprtaux de Tours, Psychiatrie et Pédopsychiatrie, Tours, France
*
Dr David Baldwin, Mental Health Group, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital, Brintons Terrace, Southampton SO14 0YG. Tel: +44 (0)1703 825538; Fax: +44 (0)1703 234243; e-mail: dsbl@soton.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Preliminary studies have suggested that paroxetine may be effective in social phobia/social anxiety disorder.

Aims

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine in the acute (12-week) treatment of social phobia.

Method

Two-hundred and ninety patients with social phobia were assigned randomly to paroxetine (20–50 mg/day flexible dose) or placebo for 12 weeks of double-blind treatment. Primary efficacy outcomes were the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) total score (patient-rated) and the Clinical Global Impression (GGI) scale global improvement item. The secondary efficacy variables included CGI scale severity of illness score and the patient-rated Social Avoidance and Distress Scale.

Results

Paroxetine produced a significantly greater reduction in LSAS total score (mean change from baseline: –29.4 v. –15.6; P 0.001) and a greater proportion of responders (score $2 on CGI global improvement) (65.7% v. 32.4%; P < 0.001) compared with placebo at the end of the 12-week study period. Both primary efficacy variables were statistically significant compared with placebo from week 4 onwards. Paroxetine was generally well tolerated.

Conclusions

Paroxetine is an effective, well-tolerated treatment for patients with social phobia.

Information

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 175 , Issue 2 , August 1999 , pp. 120 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn) (DSM–IV). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Ballenger, J. C., Davidson, J. R. T., Lecrubier, Y., et al (1998) Consensus statement on social anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59 (suppl. 17), 54–60.Google ScholarPubMed
Davidson, J. R. T. (1998) Pharmacotherapy of social anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59 (suppl. 17), 47–51.Google ScholarPubMed
Davidson, J. R. T., Hughes, D. L., George, L. K., et al (1993) The epidemiology of social phobia. Findings from the Duke Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Psychological Medicine, 23, 709–718.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guy, W. (1976) ECDEU Assessment Manual for Psychopharmacology, pp. 217–222. Washington, DC: Department of Health. Education and Welfare.Google Scholar
Hamilton, M. (1967) Development of a rating scale for primary depressive illness. British Journal of the Society of Clinical Psychology, 6, 278–296.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katzelnick, D. J., Kobak, K. A., Greist, J. H., et al (1995) Sertraline for social phobia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. American Journal of Psychiatry. 152, 1368–1371.Google ScholarPubMed
Lecrubier, Y., Bakker, A., Dunbar, G., et al (1997) A comparison of paroxetine, clomipramine and placebo in the treatment of panic disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 95, 145–152.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liebowitz, M. R. (1987) Social phobia. Modern Problems in Pharmacopsychiatry, 22, 141–173.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Magee, W. J., Eaton, W. W., Wittchen, H.-U., et al (1996) Agoraphobia, simple phobia and social phobia in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53, 159–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Merikcangas, K. R. & Angst, J. (1995) Comorbidity and social phobia: evidence from clinical, epidemiologic, and genetic studies. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 244, 297–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
OECD [Centre for Educational Research and Innovation] (1996) Education at a Glance Analysis, vol. 68. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.Google Scholar
Schneier, F. R., Johnson, J., Hornig, C. D., at al (1992) Comorbidity and morbidity in an epidemiologic sample. Archives of General Psychiatry, 49, 282–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schneier, F. R., Garfinkel, R., Kennedy, B., et al (1996) Ondansetron in the treatment of panic disorder. Anxiety, 2, 199–202.3.0.CO;2-J>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shear, M. K. & Beidel, D. C. (1998) Psychotherapy in the overall management for social anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59 (suppl. 17), 39–46.Google ScholarPubMed
Sheehan, D. (1983) The Anxiety Disease, pp. 148–149. New Work: Scribner.Google Scholar
Sheehan, D., Lecrubier, Y., Sheehan, K. H., et al (1998) The Mini-International Neuropsychiatrie Interview (MINI): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM–IV and ICD–10. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59 (suppl. 20), 22–33.Google Scholar
Stein, M. B., Liebowitz, M. R., Lydiard, R. B., et al (1998) Paroxetine treatment of generalised social phobia. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 280, 708–713.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Ameringen, M. Mancini, C. & Streiner, D. (1994) Sertraline in social phobia. Journal of Affective Disorders, 31, 141–145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Vliet, I. M., den Boer, J. A. & Westenberg, H. G. M. (1994) Psychopharmacological treatment of social phobia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with fluvoxamine. Psychopharmacology (Berlin), 115, 128–134.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wacker, H. R., Müllejans, R., Klein, K. H., et al (1992) Identification of cases of anxiety disorders and affective disorders in the community according to ICD–10 and DSM–III–R by using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 2, 91–100.Google Scholar
Watson, P. & Friend, R. (1969) Measurement of social-evaluative anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 33, 448–457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weiller, E., Bisserbe, J.-C., Boyer, P., et al (1996) Social phobia in general health care. An unrecognised undertreated disabling disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 169–174.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wittthon, H.-U. & Beloch, E. (1996) The impact of social phobia on quality of life. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, II (suppl. 3), 15–23.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.