A controlled trial of desipramine in 18 men with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Eighteen male U.S. veterans meeting DSM-III criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) completed a 4-week double-blind, crossover study comparing administration of 200 mg/day of desipramine with placebo. Response was measured by using the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, and the Impact of Event Scale. Overall, the only apparent response to desipramine was in some symptoms of depression; there were no changes in anxiety and other PTSD symptoms.