Olanzapine treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder: an open-label study

Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2001 Nov;16(6):331-7. doi: 10.1097/00004850-200111000-00003.

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and increasingly diagnosed mental illness. Recent pharmacotherapeutic research on treatments for this condition has focused on antidepressant drugs with serotonergic actions. However, the presence of intrusive, psychotic-like symptoms in a substantial portion of PTSD patients raises the possibility that antipsychotics with serotonergic properties might also prove useful in treating PTSD. We conducted an open-label 8-week study of olanzapine treatment in veterans with combat-induced PTSD. Primary outcome measures in this study were the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Clinical Global Impressions Improvement scale. Secondary outcome measures included the Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression (HRSD) and Anxiety (HRSA). Forty-eight patients enrolled in the study, and 30 completed the 8-week trial. Results of intent-to-treat and completer analyses demonstrated that all outcome measures improved significantly during treatment. Secondary analyses indicate that improvement in the intrusive symptom cluster of the CAPS was independent of improvement on the HRSD and HRSA. In conclusion, the study indicates that olanzapine treatment is useful in alleviating the symptoms of combat-induced PTSD.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antipsychotic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antipsychotic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Olanzapine
  • Pirenzepine / administration & dosage
  • Pirenzepine / adverse effects
  • Pirenzepine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Pirenzepine / therapeutic use*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / drug therapy*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Pirenzepine
  • Olanzapine