Fluoxetine v. placebo in prevention of relapse in post-traumatic stress disorder

• Published in: British journal of psychiatry Vol. 181; no. 4; pp. 315 - 320
• Main Authors: Martenyi, Ferenc, Brown, Eileen B., Zhang, Harry, Koke, Stephanie C., Prakash, Apurva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2002; RCP
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - adverse effects; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - therapeutic use; Anxiety; Clinical significance; Comorbidity; Critical incidents; Double-Blind Method; Drug therapy; Efficacy; Female; Fluoxetine; Fluoxetine - adverse effects; Fluoxetine - therapeutic use; Humans; Male; Mental disorders; Middle Aged; Pharmacology; Post traumatic stress disorder; Prevention; Psychiatry; Relapse; Secondary Prevention; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - prevention & control; South Africa; Yugoslavia; Israel; Belgium; Croatia
• ISSN: 0007-1250; 1472-1465
• DOI: 10.1192/bjp.181.4.315

Little is known about the effect of pharmacotherapy in the prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relapse. To assess the efficacy and tolerability of fluoxetine in preventing PTSD relapse. This was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study. Following 12 weeks of acute treatment, patients who responded were rerandomised and continued in a 24-week relapse prevention phase with fluoxetine (n=69) or placebo (n=62). The primary efficacy assessment was the prevention of PTSD relapse, based on the time to relapse. Patients in the fluoxetine/fluoxetine group were less likely to relapse than patients in the fluoxetine/placebo group (P=0.027). There were no clinically significant differences in treatment-emergent adverse events between treatment groups. Fluoxetine is effective and well tolerated in the prevention of PTSD relapse for up to 6 months.