Meta-analysis of the comparative efficacy of benzodiazepines and antidepressants for psychic versus somatic symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder

Benzodiazepines and antidepressants are effective agents for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), with the HAM-A frequently used as a primary outcome measure. The GAD literature is inconsistent regarding which medications are more effective for somatic versus psychic symptoms of GAD, and treatment guidelines do not advocate for prescribing based on subtype. This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether benzodiazepines and antidepressants have a differential impact on the somatic versus psychic subscales of the HAM-A in GAD. An electronic search was undertaken for randomized controlled trials of either benzodiazepines or antidepressants for GAD that reported treatment response using the HAM-A subscales. Data were extracted by independent reviewers. A random effects assessment of weighted mean difference with 95% confidence intervals and subgroup difference was applied. All analysis was done on SPSS 26. An assessment of bias, and of quality of evidence was performed. 24 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria: 18 antidepressant trials, 5 benzodiazepine trials and 1 of both. 14 studies were assessed as having between some and high risk of bias, while 10 were assessed as having low risk of bias. Benzodiazepines (WMD of 1.81 [CI 1.03, 2.58]) were significantly more effective than antidepressants (WMD of 0.83 [CI 0.64, 1.02]) for reducing somatic symptoms of GAD (Chi2 = 5.81, p = 0.02), and were also more effective (WMD of 2.46 [CI 1.83, 3.09]) in reducing psychic symptoms than antidepressants (WMD of 1.83 [CI 1.55, 2.10]), although this comparison did not reach statistical significance (Chi2 = 3.31, p = 0.07). The finding that benzodiazepines were significantly more effective than antidepressants for somatic symptoms needs to be weighed up against potential benefits of antidepressants over benzodiazepines. It may be useful for future treatment guidelines for GAD to explicitly consider symptom subtype. •Benzodiazepines were significantly more effective than antidepressants for somatic subscale symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.•Benzodiazepines were non-significantly more effective for psychic subscale symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.•Treatment guidelines include a consideration of adverse events and so typically recommend SSRIs or SNRIs as first-line pharmacotherapy.•It may be useful for future treatment guidelines for GAD to explicitly consider symptom subtype.