Evaluation of the efficacy of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in treatment of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder: a meta-analytic review of outcome studies.

Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the relative effectiveness of the broad-based treatments for combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The analysis includes 13 pharmacotherapy studies and 12 psychotherapy studies obtained from a PsychINFO database search and a reference search. Studies of pharmacotherapy treatment efficacy demonstrated a significantly greater decrease in reducing PTSD symptoms, t (22) = -2.74, p = 0.01, d = 0.05. A random coefficient analysis supports this finding with significance determined at p < 0.001 for the fixed effects in the models. A limited examination of depression as a frequently comorbid disorder indicated pharmacotherapy also demonstrated a significantly greater decrease than psychotherapy in depression symptoms, t (15.77) = -2.26, p = 0.04, d = 0.16. Differences between treatments are discussed as potentially reflective of assignment to treatments and assessment techniques as well as therapeutic effects.

• Authors: Cheryl L Stewart, Thomas A Wrobel
• Journal: Military medicine (Mil Med) Vol. 174 Issue 5 Pg. 460-9 (May 2009) ISSN: 0026-4075 [Print] England
• PMID: 20731275 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents

Topics

• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Combat Disorders (drug therapy, therapy)
• Depression (drug therapy, therapy)
• Humans
• Military Personnel (psychology)
• Military Psychiatry (methods)
• Outcome Assessment, Health Care
• Psychotherapy (methods)