Skip to main content
Log in

Open Trial of Nefazodone for Combat Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

  • Published:
Journal of Traumatic Stress

Abstract

Fourteen combat veterans completed a 9-week open trial of nefazodone for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Overall PTSD symptoms as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) showed a modest but statistically significant decrease with nefazodone treatment. Decreases in CAPS reexperiencing and avoidance, but not hyperarousal symptoms, approached statistical significance. Anxiety decreased significantly, and there were trends toward decreased depression and anger on structured assessments. This study adds to the clinical evidence that nefazodone may be helpful for the management of PTSD symptoms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armitage, R., Rush, A. J., & Trivedi, M. et al. (1994). The effects of nefazodone on sleep architecture in depression. Neuropsychopharmacology, 10, 123–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake, D. D., Weathers, F.W., & Nagy, L.M. et al. (1995). The development of a clinician-administered PTSD scale. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 8, 75–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady, K., Pearlstein, T., Asnis, G. M., Baker, D., Rothbaum, B., Sikes, C. R., & Farfel, G. M. (2000). Efficacy and safety of sertraline treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 283, 1837–1844.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brophy, M. H. (1991). Cyproheptadine for combat nightmares in posttraumatic stress disorder and dream anxiety disorder. Military Medicine, 156, 100–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J. (1992). Drug therapy of post-traumatic stress disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 160, 309–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J. R. T., & Fairbank, J. A. (1993). The epidemiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. In J. R. T. Davidson & E. B. Foa (Eds.), Post-traumatic stress disorder: DSM-IV and beyond (pp. 147–169). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, L. L., Nugent, A. L., Murray, J., Kramer, G. L., & Petty, F. (2000). Nefazodone treatment for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: An open trial. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 20, 159–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Nardo, P. A., & Barlow, D. H. (1988). Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule – Revised (ADIS-R).

  • Eison, A. S., Aison, M. S., & Torrente, J. R. et al. (1990). Nefazodone: Preclinical pharmacology of a new antidepressant. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 26, 311–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feiger, A., Kiev, A., Shrivastava, R. K., Wisselink, P. G., & Wilcox, C. S. (1996). Nefazodone versus sertraline in outpatients with major depression: Focus on efficacy, tolerability, and effects on sexual function and satisfaction. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 57 (Suppl 2), 53–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fichtner, C. G., & Crayton, J. W. (1994). Buspirone in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 14, 79–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fichtner, C. G., Poddig, B. E., & de Vito, R. A. (1997). Post-traumatic stress disorder: Pathophysiological aspects and pharmacological approaches to treatment. CNS Drugs, 8, 293–322.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M. J., & Southwick, S. M. (1995). Towards pharmacotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. In M. J. Friedman, D. S. Charney, & A. Y. Deutch (Eds.), Neurobiological and clinical consequences of stress: From normal adaptation to post-traumatic stress disorder (pp. 465–481). Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M. J., & Yehuda, R. (1995). Post-traumatic stress disorder and comorbidity: Psychobiological approaches to differential diagnosis. In M. J. Friedman, D. S. Charney, & A. Y. Deutch (Eds.), Neurobiological consequences of stress:Fromnormal adaptation to post-traumatic stress disorder. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, M. (1959). The assessment of anxiety states by rating. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 32, 50–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, M. (1960).Arating scale for depression. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 23, 56–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hertzberg, M. A., Feldman, M. E., Beckham, J. C., & Davidson, J. R. T. (1996). Trial of trazodone for posttraumatic stress disorder using a multiple baseline group design. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 16, 294–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hertzberg, M. A., Feldman, M. E., Beckham, J. C., Moore, S. D., & Davidson, J. R. T. (1998). Open trial of nefazodone for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59, 460–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo, R., Hertzberg, M. A., Mellman, T., Petty, F., Tucker, P., Weisler, R., Zisook, S., Chen, S., Churchill, E., & Davidson, J. (1999). Nefazodone in post-traumatic stress disorder: Results from six open-label trials. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 14, 61–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaPorta, L. D., & Ware, M. R. (1992). Buspirone in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 12, 133–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, R. D., Schneier, F. R., Fallon, B. A., Knight, C. B. G., Abbate, L. A., Goetz, D., Campeas, R., & Liebowitz, M. R. (1998). An open trial of paroxetine in patients with noncombat-related, chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 18, 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley, A. L., Walsh, A. E. S., & Cowen, P. J. (1992). Nefazodone – a novel antidepressant – may increase REM sleep. Biological Psychiatry, 31, 1070–1073.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sierles, F. S., Chen, J.-J., McFarland, R. E., & Taylor, M. A. (1983). Posttraumatic stress disorder and concurrent psychiatric illness: A preliminary report. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 1177–1179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C.D. (1996). State-trait anger expression inventory. Psychological Assessment Resources.

  • Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (1994). Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, D. P., Carter, R. B., & Eison, A. S. et al. (1995). Pharmacology and neurochemistry of nefazodone, a novel antidepressant drug. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 56 (Suppl 6), 3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Kolk, B. A., Dreyfuss, D., Michaels, M., Shera, D., Berkowitz, R., Fisler, R., & Saxe, G. (1994). Fluoxetine in posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 55, 517–522.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells, B. G., Chu, C.-C., & Johnson, R. et al. (1991). Buspirone in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Pharmacotherapy, 11, 340–343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zisook, S., Chentsova-Dutton, Y. E., Smith-Vaniz, A., Kline, N. A., Ellenor, G. L., Kodsi, A. B., & Gillin, J. C. (2000). Nefazodone in patients with treatment-refractory posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 61, 203–208.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Garfield, D.A.S., Fichtner, C.G., Leveroni, C. et al. Open Trial of Nefazodone for Combat Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J Trauma Stress 14, 453–460 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011148304140

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011148304140

Navigation