Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Clinical trials. Seven out of fourteen were double blind, three were placebo controlled and six were open label trials. Studies had to be of at least two months duration and ranged from 2.5 months to 12 months.
Specific interventions included in the review
Any pharmacological interventions. Interventions evaluated in the included studies were kava-kava (70mg); clobazam (10mg); diazepam (5mg-33mg), ketazolam (50mg-60mg) and lorazepam (1mg-6mg), alprazolam (3.3mg), buspirone (5mg-75mg), clorazepate (15mg-60mg), and alpidem (50mg-100mg).
Participants included in the review
Patients with conditions described as generalised anxiety disorder, anxiety neurosis or anxiety symptoms. One study also included chronic psychoneurotic patients. GAD was diagnosed according to American Psychiatric Association (APA) DSM criteria in 9 of the 14 studies.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Reduction in symptoms using Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A scores).
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
All papers were read and individually selected by two authors and subsequently compared.