Borrelli J, et al. - In this study involving 120 patients admitted to a level I trauma center for traumatic orthopedic injury, investigators determined whether administration of paroxetine for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to injured patients prevents or attenuates PTSD. They measured PTSD symptoms with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-IV. The presence and severity of DSM-IV-TR major depressive symptoms were estimated via the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS). They found a marginally greater increment in paroxetine-treated patients vs placebo-treated patients from baseline in SF-36 functioning score at the 12-month follow-up. They also noted a greater reduction from baseline in Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment at the 12-month follow-up as vs placebo-treated patients. According to findings, psychotropic medication may help to prevent/reduce PTSD symptoms and enhance the function and health of trauma patients.