Sertraline in the treatment of rape victims with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant problem following rape, yet reports on the efficacy of pharmacological agents in this population are lacking. The results of an open 12-week clinical trial utilizing sertraline (mean dose 105 mg) in the treatment of adult female rape victims with chronic PTSD are presented. The five completers were, on average, 41.6 years old and 15.6 years postassault. Sertraline reduced PTSD and related symptoms in these rape victims. The mean Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) scores decreased by 53%, with four out of five participants responding positively to treatment. These preliminary results support the need for systematic assessment of sertraline in this population.