title: Effects of mirtazapine in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder in Korea: a pilot study.
abstract: This study was aimed at testing the efficacy and tolerability of mirtazapine in the treatment of Korean patients with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mirtazapine was administered for 8 weeks using a flexible-dose regime in 15 Korean patients with PTSD based on the DSM-IV criteria. We evaluated the patients at baseline and at weeks 4 and 8 after treatment with the interviewer-administered structured interview for PTSD (SIP), short PTSD rating interview (SPRINT), impact of event scale-revised (IES-R) and the Montgomery Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS). Scores on the SIP, SPRINT, IES-R and MADRS had significantly reduced after 8 weeks treatment. In this pilot study, mirtazapine was found to be effective and well tolerated in the treatment of patients with PTSD. This calls for further evaluation of the effect of this drug on subjects with PTSD with randomized placebo-controlled studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, St Mary' Hospital, 62 Youido-Dong, Youngdeungpo-Gu, Seoul 150-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Myong
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bahk
authors.forename: Chi-Un
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Pae
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsoh
authors.forename: Jeong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Tae-Youn
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.lastname: Chul-Lee
authors.forename: Kwang-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine