Paroxetine-CR to Treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptomatic After Initial Exposure Therapy

Overview

Both pharmacotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions have domenstrated efficacy for PTSD. However, although these interventions can be helpful, many patients remain symptomatic despite initial treatment. In this study, we will examine the relative efficacy of the addition of paroxetine-CR compared to placebo for patients remaining symptomatic despite a brief and intensive course of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

This is a systematic controlled study examining the use of augmentation with pharmaotherapy for PTSD patients remaining symptomatic despite CBT (exposure therapy). The aims of the study include examination of: (1) the efficacy of paroxetine-CR compared to placebo as additions to ongoing exposure therapy in patients who failed to respond to brief, intensive CBT; (2) the tolerability of paroxetine-CR compared to placebo as additions to ongoing exposure therapy in patients who failed to respond to brief, intensive CBT; (3) the outcome of patients at 6 months follow-up to randomized treatment. Patients will initially have intensive (8 sessions over 4 weeks) prolonged exposure therapy. Patients who remain symptomatic will be randomzied to receive either flexibly-dosed paroxetine-CR (12.5 mg/d - 62.5 mg/d) or placebo in conjunction with additional 5 sessions of prolonged exposure over 10 weeks.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (4)

Outcomes