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Predictors of pharmacotherapy response in anxiety disorders

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Abstract

Although treatment with different compounds such as tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, high-potency benzodiazepines, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors has been proven effective in anxiety disorders, 20% to 40% of patients are nonresponders. Given the limited efficacy, the delayed onset of response (it takes several weeks before a clinical effect can be seen for most of these drugs), and the occurrence of side effects associated with pharmacotherapy, predicting response in anxiety disorders would be immensely valuable. This review surveys the literature over the past years on predictors of response to pharmacotherapy in obsessivecompulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Prediction of treatment response may be founded on demographic and clinical variables, neurochemical and electrophysiologic parameters, imaging studies, and genetic markers.

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  1. Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, B.01.206, PO Box 85500, 3508, GA Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Damiaan Denys MD, PhD

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  1. Damiaan Denys MD, PhD
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  2. Femke de Geus MSc
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Denys, D., de Geus, F. Predictors of pharmacotherapy response in anxiety disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep 7, 252–257 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-005-0078-4

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