Olanzapine monotherapy in posttraumatic stress disorder: efficacy in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 06/25/2012
Clinical Article
Carey P et al. – To the authors' knowledge, this is the first controlled evidence of the efficacy of olanzapine monotherapy in an exclusively non–combat related chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) group. Despite the small sample size, these data suggest that olanzapine may have a role in the treatment of PTSD. These findings warrant replication in a larger sample.
Methods- The authors undertook a randomized, placebo–controlled study using flexible–dose olanzapine monotherapy for 8 weeks in 28 adult male and female participants (mean age: 40.75 ± 11.59 years) with non–combat related chronic PTSD.
- Data were analysed with repeated measures analysis of variance, using an intention to treat, last observation carried forward approach.
- The olanzapine group (n = 14) demonstrated significantly greater improvement on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale from baseline to endpoint than the placebo group (n = 14) (F = 5.71, p = 0.018).
- Olanzapine was generally well tolerated, with no serious adverse events recorded.
- Substantial weight gain (6–10 kg) was, however, reported in 6/14 participants in the olanzapine group.
