The applicability of randomized controlled trials of psychosocial treatments for PTSD to a veteran population.

The extent to which the results of randomized controlled trials can be expected to generalize to clinical populations has been the subject of much debate. To examine this issue among a population of individuals diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the clinical characteristics of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients with PTSD were compared to the eligibility criteria for clinical trials of psychosocial treatments for PTSD. Administrative data for 239,668 patients who received a diagnosis of PTSD within the VA healthcare system during the 2003 fiscal year were compared with inclusion and exclusion criteria of 31 clinical trials for PTSD. Based on available data, all patients appeared to be eligible for at least one study, and half (50%) were eligible for between 16 and 21 (50% or more) of the 31 studies examined. The studies for which the most veterans with PTSD would have been eligible targeted combat-related trauma or did not specify type of trauma in their eligibility criteria. Veterans who exhibited psychotic symptoms (3% of the sample) were ineligible for most, but not all, of the studies. However, most veterans with comorbid Axis I conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders, were eligible for multiple studies. These findings, which indicate that the existing literature on the efficacy of psychosocial treatment may inform the treatment of the majority of veterans who present with PTSD, have applications for the design of future clinical trials and for consultation of the literature regarding appropriate treatments for veterans with PTSD.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes