No improvement of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms with guanfacine treatment.
OBJECTIVE
The authors report an 8-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of guanfacine versus placebo for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
Veterans with chronic PTSD who were medication-free or receiving stable pharmacotherapy were randomly assigned to guanfacine (N=29) versus placebo (N=34).


RESULTS
Guanfacine had no effect on PTSD symptoms, subjective sleep quality, or general mood disturbances. Guanfacine was associated with a number of side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
These results do not support the use of alpha 2 agonists in veterans with chronic PTSD.
Neylan
Thomas C
TC
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA. neylan@itsa.ucsf.edu
Lenoci
Maryann
M
Samuelson
Kristin W
KW
Metzler
Thomas J
TJ
Henn-Haase
Clare
C
Hierholzer
Robert W
RW
Lindley
Steven E
SE
Otte
Christian
C
Schoenfeld
Frank B
FB
Yesavage
Jerome A
JA
Marmar
Charles R
CR
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D016316:Guanfacine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010919:Placebos; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D010919:Placebos; D016316:Guanfacine