Agoraphobics 5 years after imipramine and exposure. Outcome and predictors.

Abstract

Five years after treatment in a controlled trial, in which all had received self-exposure homework, a group of 40 agoraphobic outpatients retained marked improvement in agoraphobia, mood, and free-floating anxiety. Frequency of spontaneous panics decreased as much in those who had placebo and self-exposure as in those who received imipramine and self-exposure. Few patients, however, were completely well at 5 years and over half had received further treatment for agoraphobia during the follow-up. Patients who were still highly phobic at the end of the clinical trial were more often prescribed psychotropic medication during follow-up and remained phobic at 5 years. Phobic improvement had generalized more in those patients with very low than in those with moderate pretreatment Hamilton depression scores. Frequency of initial spontaneous panics did not predict outcome. Improvement in agoraphobia was associated with improved marital adjustment. Those who began with the best marital, work, and social adjustment were more improved in their phobias 5 years later.

• Authors: P T Lelliott, I M Marks, W O Monteiro, F Tsakiris, H Noshirvani
• Journal: The Journal of nervous and mental disease (J Nerv Ment Dis) Vol. 175 Issue 10 Pg. 599-605 (Oct 1987) ISSN: 0022-3018 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3309186 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Imipramine

Topics

• Adult
• Agoraphobia (drug therapy, therapy)
• Behavior Therapy
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Imipramine (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Phobic Disorders (therapy)
• Prognosis