Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Symptom severity
[64] RCT	373 people	Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) score (mean change from baseline) 12 weeks 11.7 with sertraline (dose titrated from 25 mg/day in the first week to 50–150 mg/day by week 12) –8.0 with placebo	P <0.0001	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[64] RCT	373 people	Anxiety component of Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale (mean change from baseline) 12 weeks –4.5 with sertraline (dose titrated from 25 mg/day in the first week to 50–150 mg/day by week 12) –2.6 with placebo	P <0.0001	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[64] RCT	373 people	Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) (mean change from baseline at end point) 12 weeks 1.56 with sertraline (dose titrated from 25 mg/day in the first week to 50–150 mg/day by week 12) –0.90 with placebo	P <0.0001	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[65] RCT	373 people	HAM-A score improvement 12 weeks with sertraline with placebo Absolute numbers not reported	Mean ratio 1.5 95% CI 1.3 to 1.6 Mean difference 3.7 95% CI 3.5 to 3.9	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[65] RCT	373 people	CGI score improvement 12 weeks with sertraline with placebo Absolute numbers not reported	Mean ratio 1.33 95% CI 1.27 to 1.3 Mean difference 0.40 95% CI 0.34 to 0.46	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[65] RCT	373 people	Response rates (30% reduction in HAM-A) 12 weeks 73% with sertraline 40% with placebo Absolute numbers not reported	P = 0.001	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[65] RCT	373 people	Response rates (50% reduction in HAM-A) 12 weeks 55% with sertraline 32% with placebo Absolute numbers not reported	P = 0.001	Effect size not calculated	sertraline
[66] RCT	326 people	Reduction in HAM-A total score from baseline 10 weeks –12.71 with sertraline (50–200 mg/day) –11.5 with placebo	P = 0.032	Effect size not calculated	sertraline