Author(s)

Carlos A. Soria¹, Carolina Remedi¹, Luciana D’Alessio^2*, Emilio J. A. Roldán³

¹Institute of Biosciences Henri Laborit, Córdoba, Argentina.
²Buenos Aires University, ENyS-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
³Scientific Direction Department, Gador SA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Introduction: Allostatic load (AL) index proposes indicators for the functioning of the main potentially stress-affected systems. Sex differences in stress response and stress-related diseases susceptibility have been described for the general population. In this observational study we describe the effects of sex and age on AL variables, in a cohort of patients with general anxiety disorders and neuroticism treated with alprazolam during 12 weeks, before and after treatment. Methods: Patients with general (DSM IV) anxiety disorders with >6 in Hamilton scale, AL (>1 Crimmins and Seeman AL modified criteria) and neuroticism >18 (NEO-FFI inventory), were included. All patients completed psychiatric assessment, AL index determination before (−1 week) and after 12 weeks of treatment with alprazolam (0.25 - 1 mg/t.i.d). Allostatic load parameters comprised cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory variables. Univariate analysis (two-way ANOVA), Student’s t-test (related variables) and Pearson correlations were determined. Results: Fifty-four patients, 35 females (48.6 ± 11.7 years) and 19 males (44.2 ± 12.8 years) with general anxiety disorder were included; 28 patients with <50 years (60.7% females), and 26 with ≥50 years (69.2% females). Younger patients (<50 years) (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.02) were significantly associated with lower AL index after treatment. However, women showed higher anxiety levels in both, before (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.059) and after treatment (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.005), with a significantly better profile than men in many individual AL variables, particularly cardiovascular (systolic blood pressure), obesity (body mass index), and lipids (higher HDL levels). After treatment a higher reduction of fibrinogen levels was found in men (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.02). Conclusions: In this preliminary analysis we described sex and age differences in psychiatry aspects and AL indexes in patients with general anxiety disorders in the short-term treatment with alprazolam. These considerations remark the need of pondering sex and age differences during the use of drugs for protracted periods.

Chronic Stress, Neuroticism, Alprazolam, Anxiety, Allostatic Load

Soria, C. , Remedi, C. , D’Alessio, L. and Roldán, E. (2018) Sex and Age-Related Differences in Neuroticism and Allostatic Load Index in Urban Patients with General Anxiety Disorder Treated with Alprazolam. Open Journal of Psychiatry, 8, 212-232. doi: 10.4236/ojpsych.2018.83019.