Table 3.

Results of meta-analyses

			Psychotherapy+Benzodiazepine vs Psychotherapy alone			Psychotherapy+Benzodiazepine vs Benzodiazepine alone
		Statistical method	Number of comparisons	Number of participants	Effect size [95% CI]	Number of comparisons	Number of participants	Effect size [95% CI]
Acute phase treatment (at 2–4 months)	Response	RR	2	166	1.25 [0.78, 2.03]	1	77	1.57 [0.83, 2.98]
	Global severity	SMD	2	122	0.15 [-0.21, 0.50]	1	68	0.63 [0.14, 1.11]
	Frequency of panic attacks	SMD	2	124	0.38 [0.02,0.74]	1	68	0.18 [-0.29, 0.66]
	Phobic avoidance	SMD	2	122	0.09 [-0.27, 0.45]	1	68	1.17 [0.65, 1.68]
	General anxiety	SMD	1	60	0.08 [-0.43, 0.59]	0	0	Not estimable
	Depression	SMD	2	120	0.17 [-0.23, 0.58]	1	68	0.14 [-0.34, 0.62]
	Social functioning	SMD	1	64	0.51 [0.01, 1.01]	1	68	1.05 [0.54, 1.56]
	Dropouts for any reason within 2–4 months	RR	2	166	0.81 [0.47, 1.38]	1	77	1.85 [0.50, 6.87]
	Dropouts due to side effects within 2–4 months	RR	0	0	Not estimable	0	0	Not estimable
Immediately after the end of drug taper	Response	RR	2	166	0.78 [0.45, 1.35]	1	77	3.39 [1.03, 11.21]
	Global/Avoidance/Panic	SMD	2	99	-0.31 [-0.71, 0.09]	1	53	0.75 [0.19, 1.31]
6–12 months after treatment termination	Response	RR	2	166	0.62 [0.36, 1.07]	1	77	2.31 [0.79, 6.74]
	Global/Avoidance/Panic	SMD	2	95	-0.19 [-0.59, 0.22]	1	35	0.99 [0.28, 1.70]

CI: confidence interval; RR: relative risk; SMD: standardized weighted mean difference