Brexpiprazole in Combination With Sertraline and as Monotherapy in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Full-Factorial Randomized Clinical Trial
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of brexpiprazole in combination with sertraline and as monotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Methods: The trial comprised a 1-week placebo run-in period followed by an 11-week, randomized, double-blind, active-referenced, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm treatment period (with 14-day follow-up). The trial ran from January 2017-November 2018 at 48 clinical trial sites in the United States. Adult outpatients with PTSD (DSM-5) were randomized (1:1:1:1) to oral brexpiprazole + sertraline, brexpiprazole + placebo, sertraline + placebo, or placebo + placebo. Doses were flexible (brexpiprazole 1-3 mg/d; sertraline 100-200 mg/d). The primary endpoint was change in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) total score from randomization (Week 1) to Week 10. Safety assessments included adverse events.
Results: Among 321 randomized participants, completion rates were 58/82 (70.7%) for brexpiprazole + sertraline, 50/75 (66.7%) for brexpiprazole +placebo, 59/81 (72.8%) for sertraline + placebo, and 64/83 (77.1%) for placebo+placebo. At Week 10, brexpiprazole + sertraline demonstrated greater improvement in CAPS-5 total score (randomization, 35.7; least-squares [LS] mean change, -16.4; n = 77) vs sertraline + placebo (randomization, 36.5; LS mean change, -11.4; n = 75) with LS mean difference, -5.08 (95% CI, -8.96 to -1.20; P= .011), and also vs brexpiprazole + placebo and vs placebo+ placebo.…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 321 participants or records.
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