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Prolonged exposure therapy for combat- and terror-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized control comparison with treatment as usual.
J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Sep; 72(9):1174-80.JC

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Empirically based studies have demonstrated that prolonged exposure therapy effectively reduces posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a vast range of traumas, yet reports of the efficacy of such therapies in combat- and terror-related PTSD are scarce. In this article, we examine the efficacy of prolonged exposure therapy in combat- and terror-related PTSD in comparison to treatment as usual (TAU).

METHOD

Between July 2002 and October 2005, 30 patients of a trauma unit within a psychiatric outpatient clinic were recruited and randomized into prolonged exposure versus TAU therapies. Patients were diagnosed with chronic PTSD (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview criteria) related to combat- (n = 19) or terror-related (n = 11) trauma. Main outcome measures included symptoms of PTSD and depression, as measured by the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview Version and the Beck Depression Inventory.

RESULTS

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity was significantly lower in patients who received prolonged exposure therapy in comparison to patients who received TAU (F(1,24) = 35.3, P < .001). Similar results have emerged in measures of depression and state and trait anxiety. In addition, a significant change from pretreatment to follow-up was found for the prolonged exposure group (F(1,14) = 80.5, P < .0001), but not for the TAU group (F(1,10.3) = 0.6, P = .44).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that, similar to PTSD related to other types of trauma, prolonged exposure therapy is beneficial in the amelioration of combat- and terror-related PTSD symptoms. In addition, prolonged exposure was superior to TAU in the short- and long-term reduction of PTSD and depression symptoms.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00229372.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Nacasch N
Department of Psychiatry, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Foa EB
No affiliation info available
Huppert JD
No affiliation info available
Tzur D
No affiliation info available
Fostick L
No affiliation info available
Dinstein Y
No affiliation info available
Polliack M
No affiliation info available
Zohar J
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultCombat DisordersFemaleHumansImplosive TherapyMalePsychiatric Status Rating ScalesStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticTerrorismTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Comparative Study
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial

Language

eng

PubMed ID

21208581

Clinical Trial Links

Clinical trial which this article describes

Citation

Nacasch, Nitzah, et al. "Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Combat- and Terror-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: a Randomized Control Comparison With Treatment as Usual." The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, vol. 72, no. 9, 2011, pp. 1174-80.
Nacasch N, Foa EB, Huppert JD, et al. Prolonged exposure therapy for combat- and terror-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized control comparison with treatment as usual. J Clin Psychiatry. 2011;72(9):1174-80.
Nacasch, N., Foa, E. B., Huppert, J. D., Tzur, D., Fostick, L., Dinstein, Y., Polliack, M., & Zohar, J. (2011). Prolonged exposure therapy for combat- and terror-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized control comparison with treatment as usual. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 72(9), 1174-80. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.09m05682blu
Nacasch N, et al. Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Combat- and Terror-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: a Randomized Control Comparison With Treatment as Usual. J Clin Psychiatry. 2011;72(9):1174-80. PubMed PMID: 21208581.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Prolonged exposure therapy for combat- and terror-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized control comparison with treatment as usual. AU - Nacasch,Nitzah, AU - Foa,Edna B, AU - Huppert,Jonathan D, AU - Tzur,Dana, AU - Fostick,Leah, AU - Dinstein,Yula, AU - Polliack,Michael, AU - Zohar,Joseph, Y1 - 2010/11/16/ PY - 2009/08/25/received PY - 2010/01/18/accepted PY - 2011/1/7/entrez PY - 2011/1/7/pubmed PY - 2011/12/13/medline SP - 1174 EP - 80 JF - The Journal of clinical psychiatry JO - J Clin Psychiatry VL - 72 IS - 9 N2 - OBJECTIVE: Empirically based studies have demonstrated that prolonged exposure therapy effectively reduces posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a vast range of traumas, yet reports of the efficacy of such therapies in combat- and terror-related PTSD are scarce. In this article, we examine the efficacy of prolonged exposure therapy in combat- and terror-related PTSD in comparison to treatment as usual (TAU). METHOD: Between July 2002 and October 2005, 30 patients of a trauma unit within a psychiatric outpatient clinic were recruited and randomized into prolonged exposure versus TAU therapies. Patients were diagnosed with chronic PTSD (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview criteria) related to combat- (n = 19) or terror-related (n = 11) trauma. Main outcome measures included symptoms of PTSD and depression, as measured by the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview Version and the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity was significantly lower in patients who received prolonged exposure therapy in comparison to patients who received TAU (F(1,24) = 35.3, P < .001). Similar results have emerged in measures of depression and state and trait anxiety. In addition, a significant change from pretreatment to follow-up was found for the prolonged exposure group (F(1,14) = 80.5, P < .0001), but not for the TAU group (F(1,10.3) = 0.6, P = .44). CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that, similar to PTSD related to other types of trauma, prolonged exposure therapy is beneficial in the amelioration of combat- and terror-related PTSD symptoms. In addition, prolonged exposure was superior to TAU in the short- and long-term reduction of PTSD and depression symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00229372. SN - 1555-2101 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/21208581/Prolonged_exposure_therapy_for_combat__and_terror_related_posttraumatic_stress_disorder:_a_randomized_control_comparison_with_treatment_as_usual_ L2 - http://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/article/pages/2011/v72n09/v72n0903.aspx DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -