Study Description and Background

Few evidence-based treatment options exist for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) inadequately responsive to standard medication treatments, such as treatment with serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Although many agents have been studied in the management of PTSD, augmentation of existing treatments with lithium remains almost wholly unexplored, despite its broad clinical utility, reported clinical benefits for aggression, suicidality, mood, and its effects on brain areas that can be affected by PTSD.

Recent estimates suggest that 14% of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) service members will suffer from symptoms of PTSD.1 Since 1997, the average annual growth in all users of VA specialty mental health services has averaged 37,000 veterans per year, including 22,000 per year with PTSD.2 There is a clear need to better characterize PTSD refractory to standard treatments and to expand the therapeutic arsenal available to patients and clinicians managing this disorder.

The proposed investigation is a pilot study intended to establish the safety and tolerability of lithium augmentation of standard psychopharmacological treatment of PTSD for combat veterans seeking treatment at the Denver VA Medical Center.

References

1. Tanielian T, Jaycox, LH, eds. Invisible wounds of war: Psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, and services to assist recovery. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp.; 2008
2. Rosenheck RA, Fontana AF. Recent trends In VA treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental disorders. Health Aff (Millwood) 2007;26:1720-7.

The study brochure can be downloaded here