BACKGROUND:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with alcohol use disorders. This study investigated the use of sertraline, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in treating co-occurring symptoms of alcohol dependence and PTSD. METHODS: A total of 94 individuals with current alcohol dependence and PTSD were randomly assigned to receive sertraline (150 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Post hoc cluster analysis of baseline characteristics was used to define subgroups of participants. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in alcohol use during the trial in both the sertraline and the placebo groups. Cluster analysis revealed significant medication group by cluster interactions for alcohol-related outcomes. Sertraline-treated participants with less severe alcohol dependence and early-onset PTSD had significantly fewer drinks per drinking day (p < 0.001). For participants with more severe alcohol dependence and later onset PTSD, the placebo group had significantly greater decreases in drinks per drinking day (p < 0.01) and average number of drinks consumed per day (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There may be subtypes of alcohol-dependent individuals who respond differently to serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Further investigation of differential responders may lead to improvements in the pharmacological treatment of co-occurring alcohol dependence and PTSD.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with alcohol use disorders. This study investigated the use of sertraline, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in treating co-occurring symptoms of alcohol dependence and PTSD. METHODS: A total of 94 individuals with current alcohol dependence and PTSD were randomly assigned to receive sertraline (150 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Post hoc cluster analysis of baseline characteristics was used to define subgroups of participants. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in alcohol use during the trial in both the sertraline and the placebo groups. Cluster analysis revealed significant medication group by cluster interactions for alcohol-related outcomes. Sertraline-treated participants with less severe alcohol dependence and early-onset PTSD had significantly fewer drinks per drinking day (p < 0.001). For participants with more severe alcohol dependence and later onset PTSD, the placebo group had significantly greater decreases in drinks per drinking day (p < 0.01) and average number of drinks consumed per day (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There may be subtypes of alcohol-dependent individuals who respond differently to serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Further investigation of differential responders may lead to improvements in the pharmacological treatment of co-occurring alcohol dependence and PTSD.
Authors: Denise A Hien; Aimee N C Campbell; Lesia M Ruglass; Mei-Chen Hu; Therese Killeen Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2010-05-26 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Sudie E Back; Jenna L McCauley; Kristina J Korte; Daniel F Gros; Virginia Leavitt; Kevin M Gray; Mark B Hamner; Stacia M DeSantis; Robert Malcolm; Kathleen T Brady; Peter W Kalivas Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 2016-11 Impact factor: 4.384
Authors: Sudie E Back; Julianne C Flanagan; Jennifer L Jones; Isabel Augur; Alan L Peterson; Stacey Young-McCaughan; David W Shirley; Aisling Henschel; Jane E Joseph; Brett T Litz; Allison K Hancock; John D Roache; Jim Mintz; Jennifer S Wachen; Terence M Keane; Kathleen T Brady Journal: Contemp Clin Trials Date: 2018-08-24 Impact factor: 2.226
Authors: Steven L Batki; David L Pennington; Brooke Lasher; Thomas C Neylan; Thomas Metzler; Angela Waldrop; Kevin Delucchi; Ellen Herbst Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2014-08-04 Impact factor: 3.455