Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33638614›Full record

SynthesisBrain and behavior2021

Therapeutic effects of Silexan on somatic symptoms and physical health in patients with anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis.

Roland von Känel, Siegfried Kasper, Guido Bondolfi, Edith Holsboer-Trachsler, Josef Hättenschwiler, Martin Hatzinger, Christian Imboden, Ellen Heitlinger, Erich Seifritz

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Brain and behavior, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 6 institutions in 4 countries.

Roland von KänelDepartment of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Siegfried KasperDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Guido BondolfiDepartment of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Edith Holsboer-TrachslerGesundheitszentrum St. Johann, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Josef HättenschwilerCentre for Anxiety and Depression Treatment Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Martin HatzingerPsychiatric Services Solothurn and University of Basel, Solothurn, Switzerland.
Christian ImbodenPrivate Clinic Wyss, Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland.
Ellen HeitlingerH+O communications Ltd., Zurich, Switzerland.
Erich SeifritzDepartment of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
University of Basel · CHUniversity of Zurich · CHCenter for Anxiety and Depression · USHW Communications (United Kingdom) · GBMedical University of Vienna · ATUniversity of Geneva · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A meta-analysis was performed to examine therapeutic effects of Silexan on somatic symptoms, including insomnia/fatigue, and physical health in patients with anxiety disorders. Five randomized, placebo-controlled trials were included in this analysis: The efficacy of Silexan (80 mg/day) was investigated in patients with subthreshold anxiety disorders (three trials) and in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (two trials). Silexan was superior to placebo in terms of the mean change from baseline in the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) subscore somatic anxiety at week 10 with a standardized mean difference of -0.31 [95% Cl: -0.52 to -0.10, p = .004]. Treatment effects of silexan on somatic anxiety were independent of gender and age. Statistically significant differences were also shown for single HAMA items somatic muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, and genitourinary symptoms, indicating clinical relevance with small to medium effects of Silexan. Similar clinically meaningful effects of Silexan on SF-36 physical health, including reduced bodily pain and improved general health, and on insomnia complaints and fatigue, were demonstrated. In this meta-analysis including all placebo-controlled clinical trials in patients with anxiety disorders to date, statistically significant and clinically meaningful advantages of Silexan over placebo treatment were found in improving somatic symptoms and physical health.

Indexed as

Anti-Anxiety AgentsMedically Unexplained SymptomsOils, VolatileAnxiety DisordersDouble-Blind MethodHumansLavandulaPlant OilsTreatment OutcomeAnti-Anxiety Agentslavender oilOils, VolatilePlant Oilsanxiety disordersanxiolyticsherbal therapymeta-analysisquality of lifesomatic symptoms

Identifiers

PMID33638614
PMCPMC8035468
OpenAlexW3130052505

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.