Changes in SPRINT Score During Treatment

The SPRINT PTSD interview scale has been found to change during treatment in accordance with predictions and intent in designing the scale. Connor and Davidson (2001) observed a close correspondence between reduction in score and the level of improvement on the CGI-I scale (n=73). For those who showed very much improvement, much improvement, minimal improvement and no improvement, SPRINT reductions were respectively 68%, 45%, 27% and 2%.

In a trial of mirtazapine, Bahk et al (2002) noted a reduction in score
from 22.3 to 13.8 after 8 weeks treatment, and that 53% showed a
reduction in at least 50% in SPRINT score from baseline.

Davidson et al (2005) conducted a relapse-prevention study of
fluoxetine vs placebo and noted that the rate of relapse was
significantly higher in the placebo replacement group on the CGI, with
the SPRINT score also being higher, although not at a significant level
(p=0.08). In the six-month open-label lead in fluoxetine phase for all
subjects (n = 114), the SPRINT score declined from 23.0 to 14.7.
Davidson et al (2003) compared mirtazapine and placebo (n=26) and
found a significantly higher rate of response on the SPRINT PTSD interview scale for drug over placebo (65% vs 22%). SPRINT scores declined from 21.7 to 12.4 on drug and 25.0 to 19.4 on placebo (ns). The effect size (ES) in favor of mirtazapine was 0.45.

Pollack et al (2010) observed a significantly greater benefit for
eszopiclone over placebo augmentation to an SSRI on the SPRINT PTSD interview scale in a double-blind trial (22.1 and 21.9 at baseline, and 16.1 and 19.9 at endpoint, p=0.03).

In an open-label study of tiagabine on sleep parameters in PTSD, Krystal
et al (2013) noted that the SPRINT score changed from 20.1 at baseline
to 13.0 at three weeks, with an ES = 1.02, and that the SPRINT score correlated with the following polysomnographic measures of sleep:
Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO), Slow Wave Sleep (SWS), Number of
Awakenings (NAW), Sleep Onset Latency (SOL) and Stage 1 Sleep.

Jarero et al (2011, 2013, 2014a, 2014b, 2014c) conducted a series of
studies in Mexico where group EMDR was administered to children and
adults with PTSD from different traumata. These studies all found very
substantial reductions in SPRINT score of between 10 and 22 points.

Shelef et al (2019) found a modest reduction in SPRINT score from pre to
post-equine assisted therapy in 13 PTSD patients: 24.3 to 21.5 (p<
0.05).

Additional information about the SPRINT can be found at the National Center for Biotechnology Information site.

To learn more about the PTSD SPRINT scale, navigate to the following pages on the site:

Requests to obtain the SPRINT can be sent to mail@cd-risc.com.

To learn more about post-traumatic stress, visit the NIMH page on the topic.