A controlled trial of phenelzine in posttraumatic stress disorder

Thirteen patients meeting DSM-III criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder participated in a random-assignment, double-blind crossover trial comparing phenelzine (45-75 mg/day) and placebo. Ten patients completed at least 4 weeks of each treatment phase. Clinical response to phenelzine did not differ from placebo, and overall improvement by the end of the study could not be attributed to the active drug. The findings are discussed in the light of preliminary reports suggesting that phenelzine may be an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder.