Quality of life and posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study assessingchanges in SF-36 scores before and after treatment in a placebo-controlledtrial of fluoxetine

In this small pilot study we evaluated quality of life for 16 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients by administering the Medical Outcomes Stud y 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline and endpoint during a 12-week double-blind trial of fluoxetine nod placebo. At baseline, our su bjects reported greater impairment relative to subjects with major depressi on or obsessive-compulsive disorder on several SF-36 domains. Significant e ffects of fluoxetine relative to placebo were observed for vitality, social functioning, ann mental health. Overall, PTSD was associated with greatly reduced quality of life, but considerable improvement was achieved through treatment.