Kant et al.

(1998)

USA

Pre-Post

N=13

Population: CHI; Mean Age=37.6 yr; Gender: Male=10, Female=3; Severity of Injury: Mild=5, Moderate=6, Severe=6; Mean Time Post Injury=2 yr.

Treatment: 8 wk trial of sertraline HCl (Zoloft; 50 mg/day to a max of 200 mg/day).

Outcome Measure: Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Anger Irritability Assault Questionnaire.

1.        Significant improvement in aggression (p<0.001) and irritability (p<0.01) measures were shown at week 4 and 8 based on the OAS-M.

2.        Results from the BDI indicate there was a significant improvement at 4wk post baseline (p=0.04), but not at 8wk (p=0.14).

Mysiw et al.

(1988)

USA

Pre-Post

N=58

Population: TBI; Mean Age=26.9 yr; Gender: Male=43, Female=15.

Treatment: Traditional behavioural techniques were used but if agitation interfered with rehabilitation, or persisted more than 7 days, then participants were administered amitriptyline (n=20; 25-150 mg/day). The remaining participants received no medication but did not serve as a true control group.

Outcome Measure: Orientation Group Monitoring Scale (OGMS).

1.        13 of 20 patients treated with amitriptyline experienced significantly reduced levels of agitation after 1 wk (p<0.001); decrease in agitation was maintained in the ensuing weeks (p<0.001), but did not significantly drop when compared to the 1 wk (p>0.6).

2.        30% of patients experienced no significant change in agitation levels, despite increasing the dose at 1 wk (p>0.7) and beyond (p>0.3).