Efficacy and tolerability of coaxil (tianeptine) in the therapy of posttraumatic stress disorder

• Published in: Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova Vol. 105; no. 11; p. 24
• Main Authors: Aleksandrovskiĭ, Iu A, Avedisova, A S, Boev, I V, Bukhanovkskiĭ, A O, Voloshin, V M, Tsygankov, B D, Shamreĭ, B K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 2005
• Subjects: Adult; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic - administration & dosage; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic - adverse effects; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic - therapeutic use; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Humans; Male; Severity of Illness Index; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - drug therapy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Thiazepines - administration & dosage; Thiazepines - adverse effects; Thiazepines - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1997-7298

The results of a multicenter study of coaxil in the treatment of 90 patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are summarized. Two dosages of the drug, 75 mg daily (44 patients) and 37.5 mg daily (46 patients) have been compared. Coaxil efficacy was estimated with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D). High efficacy of coaxil was shown, with 76.7 and 75.6% responders, respectively, for the dosages used. The optimum one proved to be 37.5 mg daily, which is congruent to the standard dose in the treatment of depression and provides not only the efficacy but tolerability of coaxil. The coaxil efficacy depended on a PTSD type: the drug was more effective in chronic PTSD that, in the authors' opinion, might be related to its antidepressant action.