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Trauma reactivation under propranolol among traumatized Syrian refugee children preliminary evidence regarding efficacy1.37 MB
Published VersionCC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Trauma reactivation under propranolol among traumatized Syrian refugee children: preliminary evidence regarding efficacy
European Journal of Psychotraumatology, Vol.11(1), pp.1-8
2020
PMID: 32194925
Abstract
Background:
There is a dearth of therapeutic solutions for traumatized young patients. Trauma reactivation conducted under the influence of the reconsolidation blocker propranolol (Reconsolidation Therapy) is a simple, cost-effective treatment option that has some promising initial results in adults suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Objective:
To explore the usefulness of this novel treatment in children. The primary outcome was the reduction of PTSD symptoms at the end of treatment, while secondary outcomes included reduction in anxiety and in depressive symptoms.
Method:
An open-label clinical trial was conducted in a refugee camp in Syria, investigating the safety and efficacy of this therapeutic strategy in 117 children suffering from enduring PTSD symptoms. Participants received propranolol 90 minutes before briefly recalling (i.e. reactivating) a single personal traumatic memory, for 5 consecutive days. Self-reported anxiety, depressive, and PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline, as well as 4 and 13 weeks after treatment.
Results:
A significant, clinically meaningful symptom reduction was observed at all post-treatment measurement times vs. baseline. More specifically, between baseline and the 13-week follow-up we observed a 64% PTSD symptoms reduction (d = 2.71). In a similar vein, we obtained a 39% symptoms reduction for depressive symptoms (d = 1.01). The general anxiety symptoms improved, but eventually returned to prior level, probably because of the deteriorating living conditions in the camp.
Conclusions:
This therapy appeared as a potentially safe and useful treatment strategy for children suffering from PTSD symptoms, warranting replication studies using stronger study designs. The social acceptability and ease of implementation of the treatment should also be noted.
Details
- Title
- Trauma reactivation under propranolol among traumatized Syrian refugee children: preliminary evidence regarding efficacy
- Authors
- Sarah Thierrée - Université de ToursSami Richa - Saint Joseph UniversityAlain Brunet - McGill UniversityLaurine Egreteau - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de ToursQuentin Roig - No Lost Generation [Tours, France]David Clarys - Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'ApprentissageWissam El-Hage - Université de Tours
- Publication details
- European Journal of Psychotraumatology, Vol.11(1), pp.1-8
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1080/20008198.2020.1733248
- ISSN
- 2000-8066; 2000-8198
- PMID
- 32194925
- Copyright note
- © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Grant note
- The funder of the study was the NGO No Lost Generation.
- Organisation Unit
- Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991105838902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology, Clinical
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