An Efficacy and Safety Study of Escitalopram Long-Term Treatment in Major Depressive Disorder With Associated Anxiety Symptoms

Escitalopram in the Long-term Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder With Associated Anxiety Symptom

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long term escitalopram treatment in participants with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with associated anxiety symptoms.

This is an open-label (all people know the identity of the intervention), single arm, prospective (study following participants forward in time), post-marketing, multi-center (when more than one hospital or medical school team work on a medical research study) study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of escitalopram in participants with MDD with associated anxiety symptoms. The duration of the study will be 24 weeks at a starting dose of escitalopram 10 milligram per day (mg/day). The dose will be flexibly adjusted (maximum 20 mg/day) after 2 weeks of treatment depending on Investigator's discretion. The study will consist of 9 visits: Baseline, Week 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24. Assessments of efficacy and safety will be performed at each visit. The primary efficacy evaluation will be done by Montgomery-Asbery Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAM-A). Participant's safety will also be monitored throughout the study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participant must be willing and able to give written informed consent
• Participant currently suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with anxious symptoms including participant with first MDD episode, and relapsed participant with new episode
• Participant with minimum score at baseline of 22 on the Montgomery-Asbery Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and minimum score at baseline of 14 on Hamilton Anxiety Rating (HAM-A) scales
• Female participant must be surgically sterile, or practicing an effective method of birth control before entry and throughout the study

Exclusion Criteria:

Participant who has continuously taken psychoactive substances, antidepressants, anxiolytics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), psychoactive herbal remedies, lithium, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) carbamazepine in the past 2 weeks before the baseline visit - Participants with MDD, requiring treatment systematically within past 2 months from baseline - Participants who has contraindication to escitalopram - Participant has primary or comorbid diagnoses of schizophrenia (psychiatric disorder with symptoms of emotional instability, detachment from reality, often with delusions and hallucinations [imagining things], and withdrawal into the self), schizoaffective disorder (a mixed psychiatric disorder relating to a complex psychotic state that has features of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder such as bipolar disorder), bipolar disorder, or dementia (mental decline) - Participant who has a significant risk of suicide on clinical assessment or has made a serious suicide attempt within the past 6-month