Table 2. Summary of the prevalence of exclusion criteria applied in treatment studies of anxiety disorders.
| Review paper | Bradley et al.16 | Ronconi et al.17 | Eddy et al.18 | Eddy et al.18 | Hoertel et al.20 | Lincoln and Reif22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews of the reported prevalence of exclusion criteria | ||||||
| Year range of studies | 1980–2003 | 1980–2012 | 1980–2001 | 1980–2001 | 1980–2004 | 1996–2002 |
| Disorder | PTSD | PTSD | OCD | OCD | PD | SO |
| Type of treatment | Psychotherapy | Psychotherapy | Psychotherapy | Pharmacotherapy | Pharmaco/psychotherapy | CBT/exposure |
| Number of studies reviewed | 26 | 75 | 15 | 32 | 20 | 26a |
| Percentage prevalence (and number) of studies excluding patients according to each exclusion criterion | ||||||
| Other psychiatric disorders | ||||||
| Any DSM Axis I disorders | 31.2% (10) | 38.5% (10) | ||||
| MDD | 28.0% (21) | 20.0% (3) | 59.4% (19) | 75.0% (15) | 61.5% (16) | |
| Suicide risk | 46.2% (12) | 58.7% (44) | 20.0% (3) | 18.8% (6) | 25.0% (5) | |
| Bipolar disorder | 58.7% (44) | 56.3% (18) | 35.0% (7) | 88.5% (23) | ||
| Psychosis | 84.6% (22) | 90.7% (68) | 66.7% (10) | 68.8% (22) | 80.0% (16) | 88.5% (23) |
| Any DSM Axis II disorders | 6.7% (1) | 15.6% (5) | 15.0% (3) | |||
| Avoidant personality disorder | 6.7% (1) | 15.6% (5) | 15.0% (3) | 26.9% (7) | ||
| Antisocial personality disorder | ||||||
| Alcohol abuse/dependence | ||||||
| Drug or alcohol abuse/dependence | 61.5% (16) | |||||
| Substanceb use | 46.7% (7) | 68.8% (22) | 88.5% (23) | |||
| Substanceb abuse | 61.5% (16) | 44.0% (33) | 46.7% (7) | 68.8% (22) | 60.0% (12) | 88.5% (23) |
| Substanceb dependence | 61.5% (16) | 72.0% (54) | 46.7% (7) | 68.8% (22) | 60.0% (12) | 88.5% (23) |
| Treatments | ||||||
| Current psychotherapy | 60.0% (9) | 68.8% (22) | 20.0% (4) | |||
| Recent medication changes | 41.3% (31) | |||||
| Current pharmacotherapy | 60.0% (9) | 68.8% (22) | 35.0% (7) | |||
| History of treatment | 26.7% (4) | 20.7% (6/29) | ||||
| Other specific anxiety disorders | ||||||
| Panic disorder | 50.0% (16) | 38.5% (10) | ||||
| Agoraphobia | 43.8% (14) | 38.5% (10) | ||||
| Eating disorder | 43.8% (14) | 38.5% (10) | ||||
| OCD | 30.0% (6) | 38.5% (10) | ||||
| Specific & social phobias | ||||||
| Other medical conditions | ||||||
| Major medical condition | 20.0% (3) | 71.9% (23) | 55.0% (11) | |||
| Organic disorder | 76.9% (20) | 66.7% (10) | 68.8% (22) | 35.0% (7) | ||
| Serious comorbidityc | 61.5% (16) | |||||
| Exclusion of low severity | 43.3% (13/30) | |||||
| Pregnancy | 25.0% (5) | |||||
Abbreviations: CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy; DSM, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; MDD, major depressive disorder; OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder; PD, panic disorder; PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder; SO, social phobia.
a
Four additional studies did not provide information regarding the most common exclusion criteria.
b
Substance use/abuse/dependence includes both alcohol and/or drug use/abuse/dependence.
c
General term, Bradley et al.16 notes that the definition of serious comorbidity was often not described.