Safety and effectiveness of escitalopram in an 8-week open study in Chinese patients with depression and anxiety.

Background: Anxiety symptoms usually worsen depression and functional impairment. The present study was aimed to evaluate the impact of escitalopram on social function and quality of life in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with anxiety symptoms.

Patients And Methods: Adult MDD patients with functional impairment (Sheehan Disability Scale [SDS] score ≥9) and anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAM-A] score ≥14) received escitalopram (10-20 mg/day) for 8 weeks.