[Evaluation of the usefulness and effectiveness of anxiolytic therapies in neoplastic diseases].

Anxiety accompanies patients at all stages of severe somatic diseases as well in the course of diagnostic procedures. It affects significantly quality of life of these patients and their relations with their physicians. It may also induce or exacerbate wide range of somatic complaints.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of usefulness of anxiolytic therapies in patients with diagnosed neoplastic diseases. Comparison of anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects of alprazolam and diazepam in patients treated with systemic chemotherapy.

METHODS

Final analysis included 45 patients with various malignancies randomly assigned to receive alprazolam 3 x 0.5 mg or diazepam 3 x 2 mg. Anti-anxiety effects of both drugs was evaluated four times during the 21-day follow-up period at one week intervals with help of Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Analysis of these questionnaires was performed with Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon test.

RESULTS

Statistically significant reduction of anxiety was found in both study groups. Alprazolam was proven to be significantly more effective than diazepam in reduction of anxiety (HARS, HADS) and depressive symptoms accompanying anxiety (HADS). Alprazolam vs. diazepam showed better tolerance by patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Alprazolam effectively reduced anxiety in patients suffering from malignant diseases. Alprazolam was found to reduce depressive symptoms in patients with neurotic disorders whereas no effects of this kind were observed for diazepam.