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| |  Extended-Release Quetiapine Effective for Older Adults With Generalised Anxiety Disorder: Presented at WCBP By Jill Stein PARIS -- June 30, 2009 -- Extended release quetiapine fumarate (quetiapine XR) monotherapy is an effective treatment for elderly patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), according to data released here at the 9th World Congress of Biological Psychiatry (WCBP). Kairi Magi, MD, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia, reported data on June 28 from 450 elderly patients who had been randomised to quetiapine XR or placebo. The 11-week trial included a 9-week active treatment period and a 2-week post-treatment follow-up period. The study had a flexible dosing design with patients on placebo or starting on 50 mg/day of quetiapine XR and a stepwise increase in dose to a maximum of 300 mg/day on day 22. Patients did not have to reach the maximum dose of 300 mg/day. Patients were aged >=66 years and had a DSM-IV diagnosis of GAD. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar across treatment groups. The primary endpoint was the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) total score change from randomisation to week 9. Results showed that quetiapine XR significantly reduced the mean HAM-A total score from randomisation compared with placebo (-14.97 and -7.21, respectively; P < .001). At week 1, HAM-A total score was significantly reduced from randomisation in the quetiapine XR group compared with placebo (-4.18 and -2.35; P < .001). At the end of treatment, the HAM-A response rates were significantly (P < .001) greater for quetiapine (68.5% and 40.1%) versus placebo (23.9% and 12.8%). Improvements in the HAM-A psychic and somatic cluster scores were significantly better with quetiapine XR than placebo, and a higher percentage of quetiapine XR patients had a Clinical Global Impression Improvement score <=2. Quetiapine XR also led to improvement in health-related quality of life, sleep, and pain. The most common adverse events with quetiapine XR were somnolence, dry mouth, dizziness, and headache. Overall tolerability and safety were consistent with quetiapine's known profile. The results of this study demonstrate that flexibly dosed quetiapine XR is effective in older patients with GAD, with benefit seen as early as 1 week after the start of treatment, Dr. Magi commented. Funding for the study was provided by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. [Presentation title: Efficacy and Tolerability of Extended Release Quetiapine Fumarate (Quetiapine XR) Monotherapy in Elderly Patients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Abstract Number P-03-005]
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