Disability and health-related quality of life in outpatients with generalised anxiety disorder treated in psychiatric clinics: is there still room for improvement?

Table 1 General characteristics of the studied series, according to newly diagnosis or follow-up patient groups

Characteristics	Total (n = 790, 100.0%)	Newly diagnosed (n = 124, 15.7%)	Follow-up (n = 666, 84.3%)	P value
Age (SD), years	44.4 (13.1)	41.7 (13.0)	44.9 (13.1)	0.016
Ranges:
19-35 years	25.7%	36.8%	23.6%	0.025
36-50 years	40.8%	36.8%	41.7%
51-65 years	26.0%	19.3%	27.2%
> 65 years	7.4%	7.0%	7.5%
Gender (female)	68.9%	63.7%	69.8%	NS
Diagnosis delay (SD), years	2.3 (4.9)	2.2 (4.6)	2.3 (5.0)	NS
Body mass index, kg/m²	24.8 (4.0)	24.2 (3.3)	25.0 (4.1)	0.018
Drug intake at time of the study visit (n):
Average	2.4 (1.2)	1.8 (1.2)	2.5 (1.2)	< 0.001
1	26.0%	55.4%	22.7%	< 0.001
2	33.3%	24.6%	34.3%
3	21.3%	6.2%	23.0%
4	14.5%	9.2%	15.1%
5 or more	4.9%	4.6%	4.9%
Drug intake at the time of the study visit (class):
Benzodiazepines	49.3%	72.9%	47.3%	< 0.001
SSRI/SNRI	34.9%	15.3%	36.6%
Tricyclic antidepressants	9.2%	6.8%	9.5%
Antiepileptics	2.8%	1.7%	2.9%
Other medication	3.7%	3.4%	3.7%

Values are expressed as arithmetic mean (SD).
NS = not significant; SSRI/SNRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/mixed action selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or noradrenergics.

ISSN: 1744-859X