Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of venlafaxine compared with citalopram in generalized anxiety disorder

Zhang,Jingjing; Xu,Hongbing; Chen,Zhiqing

doi:10.3892/etm.2012.869

March 2013 Volume 5 Issue 3

Full Size Image

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Molecular Medicine is an international journal devoted to molecular mechanisms of human disease.

International Journal of Oncology

International Journal of Oncology is an international journal devoted to oncology research and cancer treatment.

Molecular Medicine Reports

Covers molecular medicine topics such as pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neuroscience, infectious diseases, molecular cardiology, and molecular surgery.

Oncology Reports

Oncology Reports is an international journal devoted to fundamental and applied research in Oncology.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine is an international journal devoted to laboratory and clinical medicine.

Oncology Letters

Oncology Letters is an international journal devoted to Experimental and Clinical Oncology.

Biomedical Reports

Explores a wide range of biological and medical fields, including pharmacology, genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, and molecular cardiology.

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

International journal addressing all aspects of oncology research, from tumorigenesis and oncogenes to chemotherapy and metastasis.

World Academy of Sciences Journal

Multidisciplinary open-access journal spanning biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience, environmental health, and synthetic biology.

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

Open-access journal combining biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and genetics to advance health through functional nutrition.

International Journal of Epigenetics

Publishes open-access research on using epigenetics to advance understanding and treatment of human disease.

Medicine International

An International Open Access Journal Devoted to General Medicine.

March 2013 Volume 5 Issue 3

Full Size Image

Article

Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of venlafaxine compared with citalopram in generalized anxiety disorder

Authors:
- Jingjing Zhang
- Hongbing Xu
- Zhiqing Chen
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Department of Psychological Medicine, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China
Pages: 840-844
|
Published online on: December 20, 2012

https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2012.869
Expand metrics +

Abstract

Pharmacoeconomic evaluation aims to investigate the selection and use of drugs to make patient medication efficient, safe and economical. In this study, a pharmacoeconomic evaluation was performed to assess two treatments for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A total of 100 outpatients with GAD were enrolled. The patients were divided into the following two groups according to treatment program: the venlafaxine group (n=50) and the citalopram group (n=50). The patients in the venlafaxine group received 75 mg of orally administered venlafaxine and 50 mg of sulpiride once a day for the first seven days and thereafter only 150 mg of venlafaxine once a day. The patients in the citalopram group received 10 mg of citalopram and 50 mg of sulpiride orally once a day for the first seven days and thereafter only 20 mg once a day. The treatment period for the two groups was three months. Follow-up was conducted at the end of weeks 2, 4 and 12 to evaluate drug efficacy, quality of life and drug side-effects. Moreover, the two groups were scored according to cost-effectiveness analysis. Using the SF-36 Scale, the quality of life score of the patients in the venlafaxine group was observed to be significantly higher compared with that of the patients in the citalopram group at the end of weeks 4 and 12 (P<0.05). The reduction rates of the Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA) scale show that the efficacy of venlafaxine was significantly better than that of citalopram by the end of week 12. The findings of this study suggest that venlafaxine is more cost-effective than citalopram in the treatment of outpatients with GAD.

View Figures

View References

1.	Phillips MR, Zhang J, Shi Q, et al: Prevalence, treatment, and associated disability of mental disorders in four provinces in China during 2001–05: an epidemiological survey. Lancet. 373:2041–2053. 2009.PubMed/NCBI
2.	Lieb R, Becker E and Altamura C: The epidemiology of generalized anxiety disorder in Europe. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 15:445–452. 2005. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
3.	Reinhold JA, Mandos LA, Rickels K and Lohoff FW: Phamacological treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 12:2457–2467. 2011. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
4.	Lenze EJ, Mulsant BH, Shear MK, et al: Efficacy and tolerability of citalopram in the treatment of late-life anxiety disorders: results from an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Psychiatry. 162:146–150. 2005. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
5.	Baldwin DS and Polkinghorn C: Evidence-based pharmacotherapy of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 8:293–302. 2005. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
6.	Greener MJ and Guest JF: Do antidepressants reduce the burden imposed by depression on employers? CNS Drugs. 19:253–264. 2005. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
7.	American Psychiatric Association: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. IV Edition. 1994
8.	Pollack MH, Kornstein SG, Spann ME, Crits-Christoph P, Raskin J and Russell JM: Early improvement during duloxetine treatment of generalized anxiety disorder predicts response and remission at endpoint. J Psychiatr Res. 42:1176–1184. 2008. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
9.	Eddama O and Coast J: A systematic review of the use of economic evaluation in local decision-making. Health Policy. 86:129–141. 2008. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
10.	Krystal JH, Deutsch DN and Charney DS: The biological basis of panic disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 57(Suppl 10): 23–31. 1996.
11.	Baca Baldomero E and Rubio-Terrés C: Cost-effectiveness of venlafaxine for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Bibliographic review. Actas Esp Psiquiatr. 34:193–201. 2006.(In Spanish).

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of venlafaxine compared with citalopram in generalized anxiety disorder

This article is mentioned in:

Abstract

Related Articles