SERTRALINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PANIC DISORDER - A DOUBLE-BLIND MULTICENTER TRIAL

Objective: This study determined the efficacy and safety of sertraline in the treatment of patients with panic disorder, Method: The study w as a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, flexible-dose compariso n of sertraline and placebo in outpatients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. After a 2-week single-b lind placebo lead-in, 168 patients entered a 10-week double-blind phas e in which they were randomly assigned to treatment with either sertra line or placebo. Results: Sertraline was significantly more effective than placebo in decreasing the number of full and limited-symptom pani c attacks. Among patients who completed the study, the mean number of panic attacks per week dropped by 88% in the sertraline-treated patien ts and 53% in the placebo-treated patients, Sertraline-treated patient s also had significantly more improvement than placebo-treated patient s in scores on the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Question naire, patient global evaluation, and Clinical Global Impression sever ity of illness and global improvement scales. Overall, patients tolera ted sertraline well, and only 9% terminated treatment because of side effects. Conclusions: Sertraline is an effective and well-tolerated tr eatment for patients with panic disorder.