BUPROPION TREATMENT IN VETERANS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER - AN OPEN STUDY

This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of the antidepress ant drug bupropion in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder ( PTSD). Seventeen male combat veterans with chronic PTSD were treated w ith bupropion in an open-label fashion for 6 weeks. Patients were eval uated with the Clinical Global Impressions Scale for Improvement (CGI- I) at follow-up and rated blindly at baseline and posttreatment with t he Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety. Th ree patients discontinued bupropion prematurely because of side effect s. Of the remaining 14 patients, 10 were classified as treatment respo nders by the CGI-I. HAM-D scores decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up. The improvement seen in hyperarousal symptoms was signi ficant but was less significant than the change in depressive symptoms . There was no significant change in Intrusion, Avoidance, or total CA PS scores. It was concluded that bupropion was well tolerated. Patient s who had experienced sexual dysfunction with selective serotonin reup take inhibitors reported no complaints during bupropion treatment. Bup ropion decreased depressive symptoms and most patients reported global improvement, although PTSD symptoms remained mostly unchanged. Contro lled trials should further clarify the role of bupropion in the treatm ent of PTSD.