Study designs of evaluations included in the review
No inclusion criteria for the study design were specified.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies of sertraline were eligible for inclusion. The dosages used in the included studies, where reported, ranged from 50 to 200 mg/day, and the maximum reported treatment period was 36 weeks. Controlled studies compared sertraline with placebo or with other antidepressants, including fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine.
Participants included in the review
Studies of people with PTSD were eligible for inclusion. Some of the included studies focused on specific groups, such as Bosnian refugees, female rape victims and military veterans. Some studies included participants with co-morbidities, such as psychiatric disorders, alcohol dependence and major depression.
Outcomes assessed in the review
No inclusion criteria for the outcomes were specified. The report stated that there were 32 main outcome measures identified in the included studies, but that only the following appeared in at least three of the studies: IES score, CAPS-2 score, CGI-S score and leaving the study early.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.