Table 3.
Effects of pharmacotherapy for PTSD prevention in adult participant RCTs.
| Pharmacotherapy | Outcome | Comparisons | Participants (n) | RR/SMD (95% CI) | I2 | GRADE judgement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrocortisone | PTSD 3–6 months | 3 | 98 | RR: 0.21 (0.05 to 0.89) | 0% | Low |
| Hydrocortisone | PTSD severity 3–6 months | 1 | 43 | SMD: −0.63 (−1.25 to −0.02) | NA | Very low |
| Hydrocortisone | PTSD >6 months | 2 | 38 | RR: 0.44 (0.16 to 1.23) | 59% | Very low |
| Dexamethasone | PTSD 18–48 months | 1 | 2458 | RR: 0.80 (0.56 to 1.14) | NA | Very low |
| Propranolol | PTSD 3–6 months | 3 | 96 | RR: 0.75 (0.31 to 1.83) | 0% | Low |
| Propranolol | PTSD severity 3–6 months | 2 | 52 | SMD: 0.06 (−0.49 to 0.61) | 0% | Low |
| Escitalopram (treatment not prevention) | PTSD 3–6 months | 2 | 92 | RR: 1.05 (0.61 to 1.79) | 0% | Low |
| Escitalopram (treatment not prevention) | PTSD severity 3–6 months | 2 | 68 | SMD: −0.01 (−0.49 to 0.47) | 0% | Low |
| Gabapentin* | PTSD 3–6 months | 1 | 32 | RR: 0.80 (0.18 to 3.59) | NA | Very low |
| Oxytocin* | PTSD severity 3–6 months | 1 | 107 | SMD: −0.24 (−0.62 to 0.14) | NA | Very low |
| Fish oil (1470 mg DHA/147 mg EPA)* | PTSD 0–3 months | 1 | 110 | RR: 2.15 (0.20 to 23.04) | NA | Very Low |
PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, n, number of participants included at final assessment, RR, relative risk,
SMD, standard mean difference, CI, confidence interval, NA, not applicable, *only one study for outcome so data not pooled