Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Keywords: combat-related PTSD Posttraumatic stress disorder prolonged exposure therapy sertraline military veterans VA hospital mental illness
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 223
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The current research study aims to compare the effectiveness of two proven treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Prolonged Exposure (PE), sertraline, and their combination. In addition, the investigators are examining predictors of response to these two treatments and how PTSD symptoms, thoughts, and biological factors may be changed by such treatments. Biological mechanisms of change are also examined including emotion processing and regulation in fMRI, HPA axis function, and genetics and genomics. In addition, the investigators will examine acceptability of each treatment and reasons for ending treatment.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: 24 weeks of sertraline + enhanced medication management arm 2: Up to 13 sessions of prolonged exposure therapy + 24 weeks of sertraline arm 3: Up to 13 sessions of prolonged exposure therapy + 24 weeks of placebo

Interventions: intervention 1: Sertraline intervention 2: Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Initial baseline dose of 25 mg/day. Clinician will attempt to titrate patients to at least 100 mg/day and up to 200 mg/day if tolerated by week 8. intervention 2: up to 13 sessions of prolonged exposure

Protocol document: