PAROXETINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PANIC DISORDER - A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY

Background. This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of parox etine with placebo in the treatment of panic disorder. Method. After t hree weeks of placebo, patients received 12 weeks of treatment with pa roxetine (20, 40, or 60 mg) or placebo, and finally two weeks of place bo. Dosages were adjusted according to efficacy and tolerability. Stan dardised cognitive therapy was given to all patients. The primary meas ure of outcome was reduction in the number of panic attacks. Results. Analysis of the results showed statistically significant differences i n favour of paroxetine between the two treatment groups in two out of the three primary measures of outcome, i.e. 50% reduction in total num ber of panic attacks and number of panic attacks reduced to one or zer o over the study period. For the third measure of outcome, the mean ch ange in the total number of attacks from baseline, there was a positiv e trend in favour of paroxetine. The results of the primary measures o f outcome were strongly supported by the results of the secondary effi cacy measures of outcome. In addition, paroxetine, at all doses, was v ery well tolerated. Conclusion. Paroxetine plus cognitive therapy was significantly more effective than placebo plus cognitive therapy in th e treatment of panic disorder.