Murray B Stein1, Neal A Kline, Jeffrey L Matloff. 1. Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders Program, Psychiatry Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA. mstein@ucsd.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly in combat veterans with chronic illness, is often refractory to standard pharmacological interventions. There is a need to test adjunctive treatments to boost response. METHOD:Subjects were 19 patients with PTSD who were minimally responsive to 12 weeks of treatment with aselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) at maximum tolerated dose. Outcomes were compared among subjects whose treatment was augmented with 8 weeks of double-blind olanzapine or placebo administration. RESULTS:Olanzapine augmentation was associated with statistically significantly greater reduction than placebo in specific measures of posttraumatic stress, depressive, and sleep disorder symptoms. Clinician-rated global response rates did not, however, significantly differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This is most likely the first double-blind, placebo-controlled study of an adjunct to SSRIs for PTSD. Despite the small group size, the findings suggest a role for olanzapine or other atypical antipsychotics in treating SSRI-resistant PTSD. Sleep symptoms may especially benefit.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly in combat veterans with chronic illness, is often refractory to standard pharmacological interventions. There is a need to test adjunctive treatments to boost response. METHOD: Subjects were 19 patients with PTSD who were minimally responsive to 12 weeks of treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) at maximum tolerated dose. Outcomes were compared among subjects whose treatment was augmented with 8 weeks of double-blind olanzapine or placebo administration. RESULTS:Olanzapine augmentation was associated with statistically significantly greater reduction than placebo in specific measures of posttraumatic stress, depressive, and sleep disorder symptoms. Clinician-rated global response rates did not, however, significantly differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This is most likely the first double-blind, placebo-controlled study of an adjunct to SSRIs for PTSD. Despite the small group size, the findings suggest a role for olanzapine or other atypical antipsychotics in treating SSRI-resistant PTSD. Sleep symptoms may especially benefit.
Authors: William Berger; Mauro V Mendlowicz; Carla Marques-Portella; Gustavo Kinrys; Leonardo F Fontenelle; Charles R Marmar; Ivan Figueira Journal: Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry Date: 2008-12-24 Impact factor: 5.067
Authors: Hua Jin; Nicole M Lanouette; Sunder Mudaliar; Robert Henry; David P Folsom; Srikriskna Khandrika; Danielle K Glorioso; Dilip V Jeste Journal: J Clin Psychopharmacol Date: 2009-06 Impact factor: 3.153