ArticleNeurology and therapy2017
Use of Prazosin for Pediatric PTSD-Associated Nightmares and Sleep Disturbances: A Retrospective Chart Review.
Article in Neurology and therapy, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 40 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of propranolol in the prevention and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Article
- Improving adolescent sleep in long-term Juvenile correctional settings: case examples with clinical, research, and policy implications.Sleep advances : a journal of the Sleep Research Society · 2024Article
- Psychopharmacological Strategies Employing Guanfacine in an Adolescent Girl with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Severe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology · 2022Article
- Behavioral and pharmacological interventions for the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders with children exposed to maltreatment.Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior · 2021Review
- Evaluation of low dose prazosin for PTSD-associated nightmares in children and adolescents.The mental health clinician · 2021Article
- A mechanistic model for individualised treatment of anxiety disorders based on predictive neural biomarkers.Psychological medicine · 2020Review
- Use of Prazosin for Pediatric Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder With Nightmares and/or Sleep Disorder: Case Series of 18 Patients Prospectively Assessed.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2020Article
- Doxazosin for the treatment of nightmare disorder: A diary-based case study.SAGE open medical case reports · 2020Article
- Locus coeruleus toggles reciprocal prefrontal firing to reinstate fear.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2019Article
- Management of Post-Traumatic Nightmares: a Review of Pharmacologic and Nonpharmacologic Treatments Since 2013.Current psychiatry reports · 2018Review
- Noradrenergic Modulation of Fear Conditioning and Extinction.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2018Review
- Persistent Stress-Induced Neuroplastic Changes in the Locus Coeruleus/Norepinephrine System.Neural plasticity · 2018Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionYouth exposed to trauma have an increased risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated sleep disturbances and nightmares. The alpha-1 antagonist prazosin reduces sleep disturbances and nightmares in adults with PTSD; however, its use in youth with PTSD has not been systematically evaluated. We retrospectively examined the tolerability and clinical outcomes associated with prazosin treatment in youth with PTSD-related nightmares and dysomnias.
methodA retrospective chart review identified youth with PTSD (N = 40) treated with prazosin between 2014 and 2016 in a trauma clinic. We assessed the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition scores (and sub-scores for intrusive, hyperarousal, avoidant and negative cognition/mood symptoms) and sleep scale, as well as adverse events and vital signs. Linear mixed effects models were utilized to evaluate the change in symptom severity, and vital signs were monitored throughout treatment.
resultFollow-up data were available for 34 patients with PTSD (mean age 13.4 ± 2.9 years, 82% female), of whom 76% had a history of sexual abuse and 65% had at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder. The mean duration of prazosin treatment was 10.2 ± 8.1 (range 2-30) weeks, and the mean number of follow-up visits was 3 ± 1.23. Of these 34 patients, 79% received trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. The dose range of prazosin was 1-15 mg at every bedtime (0.02-0.3 mg/kg), with 35% receiving ≥5 mg/day. Treatment-emergent side effects were reported by 26% (n = 8) of patients, including dizziness (18%), anxiety (9%) and headaches (6%). Prazosin treatment was associated with improved sleep and nightmares over time (pre-treatment 7.3 ± 0.9, post-treatment 3.1 ± 2.4; p < 0.001).
conclusionPrazosin was well-tolerated and associated with improvements in nightmares and sleep in youth with PTSD. Adverse events were consistent with the known side-effect profile of prazosin and included dizziness and nausea.
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