title: Prolonged exposure therapy for chronic combat-related PTSD: a case report of five veterans.
abstract: Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy has been found efficient in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms mostly among rape victims, but has not been explored in combat-related PTSD. Five patients with severe chronic PTSD, unresponsive to previous treatment (medication and supportive therapy) are described. Patients were evaluated with the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview, and Beck Depression Inventory, before and after 10-15 sessions of PE therapy. All five patients showed marked improvement with PE, with a mean decrease of 48% in PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview score and 69% in Beck Depression Inventory score. Moreover, four patients maintained treatment gains or kept improving 6-18 months after the treatment. The results suggest that PE was effective in reducing combat-related chronic PTSD symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Nitsa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nacasch
authors.forename: Edna B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Foa
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fostick
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polliack
authors.forename: Yula
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dinstein
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tzur
authors.forename: Pnina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zohar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*