Venlafaxine in social phobia: a study in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor non-responders

The study aimed to evaluate the clinical response to venlafaxine in social phobia in 12 patients who were non-responders to selective serotonin reupta ke inhibitors, and to assess how the response could be influenced by the co morbidity in Axis II with avoidant personality disorder (APD). The duration of the study was of 15 weeks using open flexible doses regimen in individu als with or without concomitant APD. The venlafaxine dose ranged from 112.5 mg/day to 187.5 mg/day. Venlafaxine improves social phobia and/or APD symp tomatology, as demonstrated by decreasing Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale to tal scores (P < 0.05). In fact, venlafaxine significantly reduced the avoid ant behaviour and specific sociophobic aspects, while notably improving the depression dimension and the basic anxiety symptoms. With regard to tolera bility, the profile of venlafaxine was satisfactory with the main side effe cts being nausea, headache and anxiety. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 14:239-245 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.