ANTIDEPRESIVELE DAU ANXIETATE

Antidepressant-induced jitteriness/anxiety syndrome: systematic review
British Journal of Psychiatry, 06/

Sinclair LI, et al. - Jitteriness/anxiety syndrome remains poorly characterised. Despite this, clinicians' perception of this syndrome influences prescribing and it is cited to support postulated mechanisms of drug action. This study recommends systematised evaluation of side-effects at earlier time points in antidepressant trials to further elucidate this clinically important syndrome.

MethodsA systematic search identified articles and these were included in the review if they addressed one of the above aspects of jitteriness/anxiety syndrome. Results

• Of 245 articles identified, 107 articles were included for review.
• No validated rating scales for jitteriness/anxiety syndrome were identified.
• There was no robust evidence that the incidence differed between SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants, or that there was a higher incidence in anxiety disorders.
• Published incidence rates varied widely from 4 to 65% of people commencing antidepressant treatment.
• Common treatment strategies for this syndrome included a slower titration of antidepressant and the addition of benzodiazepines.
• Conclusive evidence for the efficacy of these strategies is lacking.
• There was conflicting and inconclusive evidence as to whether the emergence of this syndrome had a predictive value on the response to treatment.
• Three studies examined genetic variations and side-effects from treatment, but none was specifically designed to assess jitteriness/anxiety syndrome