Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of trazodone versus alprazolam for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods After the third day of a three-day screening period, 60 patients with generalized anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to the trazodone group (30 patients, 50-150 mg/d), and alprazolam group (30 patients 1.2-4 mg/d) for 4 weeks. Patients and their doctors were blind. Data were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 and intention-to-treat analysis. Results The total effective rate of trazodone was 77% (23/30), while alprazolam was 70% (21/30) (Pgt;0.05) .No difference was seen for adverse events. None was lost to follow in the two groups. Conclusions Trazodone appears to be as effective as alprazolam in treating generalized anxiety disorder. Adverse events may include confusion and loss of appetite, but patients are able to tolerate these.
ObjectiveTo explore the disability of social function of gastrointestinal outpatients with depressive or anxiety disorders in general hospitals. MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June in 2007. A total of 1 995 subjects from 13 general hospitals in China were screened by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The subjects scored≥8 on HADS were diagnosed via the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview by psychiatrists. The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) was used to assessed patients' disability of life, work, and social intercourse aspects. Then, compared the subjective quality of life, number of doctor visits, and monthly loss of working days between outpatients with and without depressive or anxiety disorders in last six months. Further, compared the social dysfunction between patients with depression/anxiety disorders (the case group) and without depression/anxiety disorders (the control group) in functional disorders group and organic disease group of gastroenterology respectively. ResultsIn comparison to the control group, the case group had much higher score of SDS, including life, work, and social intercourse (P<0.05) aspect and had more doctor visits and loss of more working days (P<0.05). In functional disorders group of gastroenterology, the case group had much higher score of SDS, including life, work, and social intercourse (P<0.05) aspect and had more doctor visits, loss of more working days (P<0.05) compared with those in the control group. In organic disease group of gastroenterology, the case group had much higher score of SDS, including life, work, and social intercourse (P<0.05) aspect and had loss of more working days (Z=-4.307, P<0.001) compared with those in the control group. ConclusionFor the patients with functional disorders or organic disease of gastroenterology, the depressive and anxiety disorders may lead to the disability of social function.
This paper is aimed to analyze the topological properties of structural brain networks in depressive patients with and without anxiety and to explore the neuropath logical mechanisms of depression comorbid with anxiety. Diffusion tensor imaging and deterministic tractography were applied to map the white matter structural networks. We collected 20 depressive patients with anxiety (DPA), 18 depressive patients without anxiety (DP), and 28 normal controls (NC) as comparative groups. The global and nodal properties of the structural brain networks in the three groups were analyzed with graph theoretical methods.The result showed that ① the structural brain networks in three groups showed small-world properties and highly connected global hubs predominately from association cortices; ② DP group showed lower local efficiency and global efficiency compared to NC group, whereas DPA group showed higher local efficiency and global efficiency compared to NC group; ③ significant differences of network properties (clustering coefficient, characteristic path lengths, local efficiency, global efficiency) were found between DPA and DP groups; ④ DP group showed significant changes of nodal efficiency in the brain areas primarily in the temporal lobe and bilateral frontal gyrus, compared to DPA and NC groups. The analysis indicated that the DP and DPA groups showed nodal properties of the structural brain networks, compared to NC group. Moreover, the two diseased groups indicated an opposite trend in the network properties. The results of this study may provide a new imaging index for clinical diagnosis for depression comorbid with anxiety.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the predictors of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among teachers in 3 months after Lushan earthquake. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted to diagnostically evaluate the psychological sequelae and GAD during 14-20 days and 85-95 days after the earthquake. The possible predictive factors of psychological sequelae were assessed by a self-made questionnaire and the GAD was assessed by the GAD symptom criterion of M.I.N.I. in 3 months. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis (ULRA, MLRA) were applied to analyze the predictors of GAD after the two-staged assessments. ResultsThere were a total of 319 teachers completed the two-staged assessments. The total response rate was 51.3%. Seventy teachers were diagnosed as GAD and the prevalence of GAD in 3 months was 21.9%. The predictive factors by ULRA included:male, older than 35 years old, having unlivable house, living in tents, sleeping difficulties, easy to feel sad, physical discomfort, loss of appetite, feeling short of social support, unable to calm down for working, feeling difficult for teaching, observing more inattention of students, and wanting to ask for a leave. The independent predictors by MLRA included:male, having unlivable house, feeling short of social support, and feeling difficult for teaching. ConclusionThe teachers have a higher likelihood of GAD after earthquake. It is essential to pay more attention to those male teachers, who feel short of social support and don't have a livable house thus to prevent the GAD at the early stage of post-earthquake.