Combination Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) After the World Trade Center (WTC) Attack

Summary

This randomized controlled trial evaluates efficacy of combined prolonged exposure (PE) and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine in the treatment of survivors of the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks.

Timeline

Start

2004-03

Primary completion

2010-02

Completion

2010-02

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

registry analysis (superiority or other test); Paroxetine vs Placebo Pill; p = .01; incident rate ratio 0.50 (95% CI .30 to .85); Mixed Models Analysis NCT01130103 ↗

registry analysis (superiority or other test); Paroxetine vs Placebo Pill; p = .03; Odds Ratio (OR) 12.6 (95% CI 1.23 to 129); Mixed Models Analysis NCT01130103 ↗

paper Patients treated with prolonged exposure plus paroxetine experienced significantly greater improvement in PTSD symptoms (incidence rate ratio=0.50, 95% CI=0.30-0.85) PMID 21908494 ↗

paper remission status (odds ratio=12.6, 95% CI=1.23-129) during 10 weeks of combined treatment than patients treated with prolonged exposure plus placebo. PMID 21908494 ↗

Publications

• Schneier FR, Neria Y, Pavlicova M, Hembree E, Suh EJ, Amsel L, Marshall RD. Combined prolonged exposure therapy and paroxetine for PTSD related to the World Trade Center attack: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Psychiatry. 2012 Jan;169(1):80-8. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11020321. Epub 2011 Sep 9.

Drugs

Evaluation	Drug	Modality	Dose	Route
Subject	Paroxetine	Small molecule	12.5 mg	—
Subject	Paroxetine	Small molecule	50 mg	—

Indications