A double-blind study of alprazolam and oxazepam in the treatment of anxiety.

In a randomized double-blind study with parallel group design involving 60 anxious psychoneurotic outpatients, the anxiolytic activity of alprazolam was compared with that of oxazepam. Following a 4 to 7-day placebo washout period, both groups showed a similar and significant response to treatment during the 4-week active treatment phase. An important intergroup difference emerged in the fear/anxiety component of the Lipman SRSS with the alprazolam groups showing a significantly greater mean reduction from the baseline score. During alprazolam treatment there was also a significant reduction in the depression factor score of the Lipman SRSS by the termination of the study and for all 4 weeks combined. Furthermore, the global impression of treatment was judged by patients as more favourable towards alprazolam than towards oxazepam. Only one person in each group reported a serious side effect. The results indicate that the anxiolytic activity of alprazolam is at least as good as that of oxazepam.