Comparison between paroxetine and behaviour therapy in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): A pilot study

Antidepressants and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) have been reported to decrease severity of psychopathology in PTSD-patients. To date, no study has been carried out which compares psychopharmacolo-gical and psychotherapeutic treatments. In a randomized pilot study, PTSD-patients were treated either with paroxetine or CBT. Diagnoses were made by structured clinical interviews (ADIS, CAPS). The duration of treatment was 3 months; the paroxetine dosage was 10-50 mg; exposure and cognitive restructuring were the main elements in cognitive-behavioural therapy. Twenty-one patients were included. Drop-outs in both groups occurred within the first 2 weeks. Paroxetine and CBT significantly decreased PTSD-symptoms (CAPS) as well as concurrent depression (MADRS) after 3 months treatment. At 6 month follow-up, symptoms of PTSD had slightly increased in the paroxetine group and further decreased in the cognitive-behavioural therapy group. (Int J Psych Clin Pract 2004; 8: 19-23).