Comparison of tandospirone and escitalopram as a symptomatic treatment in Multiple System Atrophy-cerebellar ataxia: An open-label, non-controlled, 4 weeks observational study.

BACKGROUND

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by autonomic failure and motor dysfunction in parkinsonism and/or cerebellar ataxia. Patients with MSA usually present with depression and anxiety symptoms. This observational study of patients with MSA-cerebellar subtype (MSA-C) with subthreshold depression/anxiety symptoms aimed to compare the efficacy of escitalopram oxalate (an antidepressant drug) and tandospirone citrate (an anxiolytic drug).

METHODS

Fifty-six MSA-C patients were included, with 28 patients in each treatment group. One group received escitalopram oxalate 10 mg/day and the other group received tandospirone citrate 30 mg/day. The patients were evaluated at baseline and after 4 weeks. Several psychiatric and neurological tests were performed, including the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), and the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease for Autonomic Symptoms (SCOPA-AUT). Furthermore, post-void residual urine volume (PVR) and blood pressure were measured.

RESULTS

There was a more substantial reduction in the HAMA/HAMD, scores of stance, finger tracking, and finger nose test in the SARA, and PVR in the tandospirone group. There was a more substantial reduction in scores of dysuria, light-headed when standing up, syncope and hyperhidrosis in the SCOPA-AUT in the escitalopram group (p's < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Tandospirone citrate was more effective in improving depression/anxiety and some cerebellar ataxia symptoms, whereas escitalopram was more effective in improving some autonomic symptoms in MSA-C patients over a short-term period in an open-label observational study without a control group. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of tandospirone and escitalopram in MSA-C in long-term placebo controlled trials.