HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders: an open-label extension of the research units on pediatric psychopharmacology anxiety study.

AbstractBACKGROUND:
An 8-week placebo-controlled study, the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology Anxiety Study, documented beneficial effects of fluvoxamine in the treatment of pediatric social anxiety, separation anxiety, or generalized anxiety disorders. Following completion of this study, participants were invited to enter a 6-month open-label treatment phase designed to examine three issues: (a) long-term maintenance of response in fluvoxamine responders, (b) acute response to fluoxetine in fluvoxamine nonresponders, and (c) acute response to fluvoxamine in placebo nonresponders.
METHODS:
Participants aged 6-17 years meeting criteria for social anxiety, separation anxiety, or generalized anxiety disorders previously treated in an 8-week placebo-controlled trial (n = 128) were offered open treatment. Changes in symptoms of anxiety during open treatment were assessed in three groups: (a) fluvoxamine responders maintained on fluvoxamine, (b) fluvoxamine nonresponders changed to fluoxetine, and (c) placebo nonresponders changed to fluvoxamine. Response was defined based on Clinical Global Impression criteria.
RESULTS:
During 6 months of continued open treatment, anxiety symptoms remained low in 33 of 35 (94%) subjects who initially responded to fluvoxamine. Among 14 fluvoxamine nonresponders switched to fluoxetine, anxiety symptoms appeared significantly improved in 10 (71%) subjects. Finally, among 48 placebo nonresponders, 27 (56%) showed clinically significant improvement in anxiety on fluvoxamine.
CONCLUSION:
The current findings concerning extended treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders are only preliminary, because treatment was uncontrolled. Results suggest that an initial fluvoxamine response is likely to be retained with continued treatment, that some fluvoxamine nonresponders may respond to fluoxetine, and that some placebo nonresponders may respond to fluvoxamine.
AuthorsJohn Walkup, Michael Labellarte, Mark A Riddle, Daniel S Pine, Laurence Greenhill, Janet Fairbanks, Rachel Klein, Mark Davies, Michael Sweeney, Howard Abikoff, Sabine Hack, Brian Klee, R Lindsey Bergman, Deborah Lynn, James McCracken, John March, Pat Gammon, Benedetto Vitiello, Louise Ritz, Margaret Roper, Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology Anxiety Study Group
JournalJournal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology (J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol) Vol. 12 Issue 3 Pg. 175-88 ( 2002) ISSN: 1044-5463 [Print] United States
PMID12427292 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)
Chemical References
  • Fluoxetine
  • Fluvoxamine
Topics
  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety Disorders (drug therapy, psychology)
  • Child
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Fluoxetine (therapeutic use)
  • Fluvoxamine (therapeutic use)
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychopharmacology (methods)
  • Regression Analysis

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: