The effect of nefazodone on subjective and objective sleep quality in posttraumatic stress disorder.
BACKGROUND
This study assesses the efficacy of nefazodone treatment (target dose of 400-600 mg/day) on objective and subjective sleep quality in Vietnam combat veterans with chronic DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
Medically healthy male Vietnam theater combat veterans with DSM-IV PTSD (N = 10) completed a 12-week open-label trial. Two nights of ambulatory polysomnography were obtained at baseline and at the end of the trial. PTSD and depressive symptoms and subjective sleep quality were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Data were collected in 1999 and 2000.


RESULTS
Nefazodone treatment led to a significant decrease in PTSD and depressive symptoms (p <.05), an improvement in global subjective sleep quality, and a reduction in nightmares. Nefazodone also resulted in a substantial improvement in objective measures of sleep quality, particularly increased total sleep time, sleep maintenance, and delta sleep as measured by period amplitude analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Nefazodone therapy results in an improvement of both subjective and objective sleep quality in subjects with combat-related PTSD.
Neylan
Thomas C
TC
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, and the Psychiatry Service, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 94121, USA. neylan@itsa.ucsf.edu
Lenoci
Maryanne
M
Maglione
Melissa L
ML
Rosenlicht
Nicholas Z
NZ
Leykin
Yan
Y
Metzler
Thomas J
TJ
Schoenfeld
Frank B
FB
Marmar
Charles R
CR
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000187:drug effects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D010879:Piperazines; D014230:Triazoles; C051752:nefazodone