Efficacy and Safety of Escitalopram in Alleviating Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in COPD Patients: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial - PubMed
6 hours ago
- #COPD
- #mental health
- #escitalopram
- The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of low-dose escitalopram (5-10 mg/day) for managing depression and anxiety symptoms in COPD patients.
- It was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial involving 150 COPD patients with moderate-to-severe anxiety and/or depression.
- After 4 weeks, escitalopram showed significantly greater reductions in HAMA-14 and HAMD-17 scores compared to placebo, with improvements sustained at 12 months.
- CAT scores also improved significantly more in the escitalopram group over the 12-month observational period compared to placebo.
- No significant differences were observed for mMRC ratings or lung function (FEV1% predicted), and adverse events were mild and comparable between groups.
- Short-term treatment with low-dose escitalopram significantly alleviated depression and anxiety, with a sustained positive clinical trajectory over 12 months, supporting its potential integration into COPD management protocols.