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Post-traumatic stress disorder (traumatic war neurosis) and concurrent psychiatric illness among Australian Vietnam veterans. A controlled study.

Depression, anxiety, irritability with unpredictable explosions of aggressive behaviour, impulsivity, suicidal actions and substance abuse have been repeatedly observed among ex-servicemen from World War II in psychiatric treatment settings. In the most recent American Psychiatric Association classification of mental disorders the category of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was introduced, replacing the earlier Traumatic War Neurosis and the above cluster of symptoms were included as associated features of this disorder. Two recent uncontrolled studies on U.S. Vietnam veterans receiving psychiatric care supported the linkage of PTSD with these abnormalities. However, the present controlled study found these associated features occurred with equal frequencies among one group of psychiatrically hospitalised Australian Vietnam veterans with PTSD and another group not so afflicted. Reservations, then, should be harboured about ascribing all the presented psychopathology and behavioural abnormalities of ex-servicemen to the stress of their war service.

Adult↗

Serum lipid concentrations in Croatian veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder,post-traumatic stress disorder comorbid with major depressive disorder,or major depressive disorder.

The aim of this study was to assess eventual differences in serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio between veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) only or comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD), veterans with combat experiences with MDD, and healthy control group. PTSD and/ or MDD were diagnose according to structured clinical interview based on DSM-IV criteria. Additional criteria to diagnose PTSD were Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), and to diagnose MDD Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRAS). Serum lipid concentrations were determined by using the enzyme-assay method. Veterans with combat-related PTSD as well as veterans with combat-related PTSD comorbid with MDD showed significantly higher concentrations of cholesterol (F=9.858, p<0.01), triglycerides (F=10.112, p<0.01), LDL-C (F=11.145, p<0.01), and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (F=8.346, p<0.01) vs. veterans with MDD or healthy control group. Contrary healthy control group and veterans with MDD showed significantly higher concentrations of HDL-C (F=8.421, p<0.01), vs. veterans with PTSD or PTSD comorbid with MDD. In conclusion, there are no differences in serum lipid concentrations between veterans with combat-related PTSD and PTSD comorbid with MDD, but they have higher lipid concentrations than veterans with MDD or healthy control subjects.

Adult↗

Brief psychological interventions ("debriefing") for trauma-related symptoms and the prevention of post traumatic stress disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of brief psychological debriefing for the management of psychological distress after trauma, and the prevention of post traumatic stress disorder. SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic searching of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychLit, PILOTS, Biosis, Pascal, Occ.Safety and Health, CDSR and the Trials Register of the Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis group. Hand search of Journal of Traumatic Stress. Contact with leading researchers. SELECTION CRITERIA: The inclusion criteria for all randomized studies was that they should focus on persons recently (one month or less) exposed to a traumatic event, should consist of a single session only, and that the intervention involve some form of emotional processing/ventilation by encouraging recollection/reworking of the traumatic event accompanied by normalisation of emotional reaction to the event. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: 8 trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Quality was generally poor. Data from two trials could not be synthesised. MAIN RESULTS: Single session individual debriefing did not reduce psychological distress nor prevent the onset of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those who received the intervention showed no significant short term (3-5 months) in the risk of PTSD (pooled odds ratio 1.0, 95% ci 0.6-1.8). At one year one trial reported that there was a significantly increased risk of PTSD in those receiving debriefing (odds ratio 2.9, 95% ci 1.1-7.5). The pooled odds ratio for the two trials with follow ups just included unity (odds ratio 2.0, 95% ci 0.9-4.5). There was also no evidence that debriefing reduced general psychological morbidity, depression or anxiety. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is no current evidence that psychological debriefing is a useful treatment for the prevention of post traumatic stress disorder after traumatic incidents. Compulsory debriefing of victims of trauma should cease.

Crisis Intervention↗

Parent and child agreement for acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychopathology in a prospective study of children and adolescents exposed to single-event trauma.

Examining parent-child agreement for Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents is essential for informing the assessment of trauma-exposed children, yet no studies have examined this relationship using appropriate statistical techniques. Parent-child agreement for these disorders was examined by structured interview in a prospective study of assault and motor vehicle accident (MVA) child survivors, assessed at 2-4 weeks and 6 months post-trauma. Children were significantly more likely to meet criteria for ASD, as well as other ASD and PTSD symptom clusters, based on their own report than on their parent's report. Parent-child agreement for ASD was poor (Cohen's kappa = -.04), but fair for PTSD (Cohen's kappa = .21). Agreement ranged widely for other emotional disorders (Cohen's kappa = -.07-.64), with generalised anxiety disorder found to have superior parent-child agreement (when assessed by phi coefficients) relative to ASD and PTSD. The findings support the need to directly interview children and adolescents, particularly for the early screening of posttraumatic stress, and suggest that other anxiety disorders may have a clearer presentation post-trauma.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Recurrence of post traumatic stress disorder.

Traumatic events can have an enduring effect on an individual's wellbeing, even causing a recurrence of trauma-related stress symptoms 50 years later. This lasting impact means that those working with older people need an awareness of those symptoms and education in their management.

Age Factors↗

Post traumatic stress disorder.

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs after a person has been exposed to a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death, and has responded with intense fear or helplessness. The event is then persistently re-experienced. The person avoids stimuli associated with the trauma and experiences a numbing of general responsiveness. Symptoms of increased arousal can occur as well as depression and anxiety. PTSD causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The general practitioner is uniquely placed to identify PTSD and can have a key role in treatment. Cognitive behavioural treatment is a central therapeutic approach and can be carried out in general practice. The issues are to counteract the physiological components, expose the patient to the feared situation and help the patient to relearn that the stimuli are not necessarily associated with danger or threat. Repeated brief consultations over time can facilitate this process.

Antidepressive Agents↗

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post traumatic stress disorder affects up to 1 per cent of the population, yet there are few specially trained nurses who are able to offer appropriate care and treatment. This article explores this condition, its treatment and the need for more suitably qualified nurses to fill this gap.

Acute Disease↗

Does acute stress disorder predict post-traumatic stress disorder in traffic accident victims? Analysis of a self-report inventory.

The objective of this study was to account for acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) morbidity in a self-report survey of traffic accident victims and to evaluate the relationship between ASD and PTSD in this sample, and furthermore, to find both a model of independent variables accounting for variance in ASD and PTSD symptom level. Ninety patients, treated at an emergency ward after traffic accidents, participated in this longitudinal self-report survey. ASD was assessed using the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) and PTSD was assessed at 6-8 months follow-up using the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS). Twenty-five patients (28%) met the cutoff scores for ASDS. Fifteen patients (17%) fulfilled criteria for PTSD according to the PDS. ASD was only able to predict 50% of patients who later developed high levels of PTSD symptomatology. A model of three variables explained 35% of the variance in ASD symptom level. Two variables explained 40% of the variance in PTSD symptom level. In both regression models, dissatisfaction with social support was associated with a higher symptom level. The results from this study reflect already voiced problems with the ASD diagnosis. The lack of precision in predicting who will develop PTSD is pronounced in this study. The acute traumatic symptom level explains a large part of the variance in PTSD symptom level. However, other variables also seem to play an important role.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Errors in diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder after traumatic brain injury.

Evidence to support the view that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after traumatic brain injury (TBI) continues to grow. However, the reported incidence of cases with both diagnoses ranges widely, from less than 1% to more than 50%. Given that the incidence of TBI is high, a more precise incidence has to be established if screening and treatment resources are to be considered. Are cases being missed or are they over-diagnosed? The single case report presented here does not definitively answer this question, but illustrates the potential shortcomings of diagnosing PTSD using questionnaire measures alone (Impact of Events Scale, Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale and General Health Questionnaire) and indicates a need for a conjoint interview which takes into account the common effects of TBI and the symptom overlap between PTSD and TBI.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Emerging roles for atypical antipsychotics in chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that may occur after the individual is exposed to severe psychologic trauma such as combat, sexual assault, or childhood physical or sexual abuse. Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder may result in considerable psychologic pain and suffering for the individual in addition to significant functional impairment. In addition to the heterogeneity of symptoms that occur in post-traumatic stress disorder, there may also be extensive comorbidity with other anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and other psychiatric disorders. This complicates the treatment picture. Currently, accepted treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder include psychotherapy, in particular cognitive behavioral-based approaches and antidepressant medication. However, many patients are refractory to these initial treatments or have only a partial response. In light of this, may clinicians combine additional classes of psychotropic agents and different psychotherapeutic approaches to enhance treatment response. This article reviews the literature on the use of atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Most of the research to date has involved combat veterans partially responsive or refractory to treatment, namely with antidepressants. Studies have shown improvement across post-traumatic stress disorder symptom clusters, as well as improvement in comorbid psychotic symptoms or disorders. More research is needed to confirm these recent findings and further delineate the role of atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Currently, possible indications for their use include treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder with comorbid psychotic features.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Neurorehabilitation for two cases of post-traumatic stress disorder following traumatic brain injury.

INTRODUCTION: We present two cases to illustrate the assessment and management of post-traumatic stress disorder (PtSD) in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Case KE suffered a TBI in a road traffic accident (RTA) in which his girlfriend was killed. Case CM survived a penetrating neurological injury from a severe knife attack. Both suffered cognitive difficulties, primarily in attention and memory, and selective visual impairments, and had endured significant losses of social role. METHOD: Within a neurorehabilitation programme, goals were set regarding management of their cognitive difficulties for regaining social roles and for the management of their PtSD symptoms. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was provided for managing PtSD symptoms, which included use of a stress inoculation and graduated exposure to avoided situations and trauma re-experiences. RESULTS: Both survivors reported significant improvements in managing mood state, and in redeveloping social roles. Objective measures confirmed significant gains from intervention. CONCLUSIONS: CBT, set within a neurorehabilitation programme, can lead to improvement in PtSD symptoms and psychosocial outcome in TBI survivors.

Journal Article↗

Post-traumatic stress disorder following traumatic injuries in adults.

The residuals of traumatic injuries from home or workplace accidents, automobile accidents, physical assault, or other unintentional human error can affect victims both physically and psychologically. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common among survivors of accidents and nonsexual assaults and can impede recovery. Early identification of PTSD and timely referrals to mental health providers can greatly reduce medical expenses, disability payments, lost wages, lost work productivity, and direct mental health costs. A physician-screening tool to identify PTSD is outlined in this article and can be completed in a few minutes. Implementation of this screening following traumatic injuries can promote early diagnosis of possible psychological complications and facilitate referral to appropriate mental health professionals.

Adult↗

Primary care treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, a psychiatric disorder, arises following exposure to perceived life-threatening trauma. Its symptoms can mimic those of anxiety or depressive disorders, but with appropriate screening, the diagnosis is easily made. Current treatment strategies combine patient education; pharmacologic interventions, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, trazodone and clonidine; and psychotherapy. As soon after the trauma as possible, techniques to prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as structured stress debriefings, should be administered. A high index of suspicion for post-traumatic stress disorder is needed in patients with a history of significant trauma.

Antidepressive Agents↗

[Efficiency of psychological debriefing in preventing post-traumatic stress disorders].

BACKGROUND: Traumatic events are frequently followed by an acute stress reaction that may develop into a post-traumatic stress disorder. An intervention called psychological debriefing has been proposed to prevent these disorders. Although this method is widely used at present, its preventive effect is controversial. This article consist in a review of the studies which evaluated psychological debriefing efficiency in the prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder and associated disorders in adults. METHOD: We carried out a bibliographical search on MEDLINE (1966-2001), PASCAL (1987-2001), EMBASE (1988-2001), FRANCIS (1984-2001) and SCIENCEDIRECT (1967-2001). The key words were posttraumatic stress disorder, debriefing, treatment, psychological follow up, and prevention. We selected the studies with the following criteria: adults, one psychological debriefing session in the Month following the event, inclusion of a control group, more than 20 persons per group and evaluation of psychological disorders with standardized instruments more than one Month after the trauma. RESULTS: Twenty nine studies were identified and 8 selected. Four studies did not show any intervention effect, 3 suggested a negative intervention effect, and 1 suggested a positive effect on anxiety, depressive symptoms and alcohol dependence. CONCLUSION: Psychological debriefing implies re-exposure through memory processes to the trauma, which can interfere with the natural course of adjustment and recovery. Several Authors have suggested that psychological debriefing may delay the diagnosis and thus the early treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological debriefing may not be appropriate to all victims of every type of incident or trauma. We discuss the intervention and its design. This review did not show evidence for psychological debriefing efficiency, as a unique session, in the prevention of posttraumatic reactions. The design and the objectives may be re-examined. Further evaluations following rigorous methods are warranted.

Accidents, Traffic↗

[How to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder before traumatization occurs?].

OBJECTIVE: To provide an update on methods of preventing the onset of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before trauma occurs. METHOD: Survey and analysis of the literature (mainly articles) found in the Medline, Psychinfo, and Pilot databases. RESULTS: Most research focuses on identifying risk factors and reinforcing individual resistance as the prime means of preventing PTSD. The severity of the trauma is by far the most serious risk factor. To reinforce resistance and prevent the onset of PTSD, the army has favoured psychoeducational approaches. However, the literature survey has found no pretrauma prevention program for other high-risk occupations. CONCLUSION: The usefulness of identified risk factors for the primary prevention of PTSD is limited, since with the exception of the trauma itself, they play a minor role on the onset of severe-trauma PTSD. Psychoeducational approaches aimed at reinforcing the resistance of individuals at risk are promising, but their potential has to be further explored in individuals in high-risk trades. Finally, it has been suggested that other avenues of research in the primary prevention (pretrauma) of PTSD be explored. These include the identification of possible protection factors, the influence of genetic make-up and of biological variables, the cumulative effects of exposure to stressors, and the presence of chronic stressors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

[Stabilisation therapy as an answer to complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Diagnosis, treatment and research in women abused in childhood with a complex post-traumatic stress disorder].

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from traumatic experiences in childhood includes not only the customary post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms such as intrusions, avoidance and hyperarousal, but it also includes affect-dysregulation, dissociation, problems with self-image, relationships, interpretation and somatisation. The specialist literature expresses some support for stabilisation treatment. Preliminary results of a pilot study that evaluated a stabilisation course with a psycho-educational and cognitive behavioural content indicate that a course of that kind, if linked to research, is both feasible and effective. We therefore believe that further research by means of a randomized controlled trial is warranted.

Adult↗

The eight-item treatment-outcome post-traumatic stress disorder scale: a brief measure to assess treatment outcome in post-traumatic stress disorder.

This preliminary report describes a new brief interview based assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder using an 8-item treatment-outcome post-traumatic stress disorder scale (TOP-8). The TOP-8 was developed from a larger post-traumatic stress disorder evaluation scale based on items which occurred frequently in the population and which responded substantially to treatment across time. The 8 resultant items were drawn from all three symptom clusters for post-traumatic stress disorder, and showed an improved ability to detect drug versus placebo differences in comparison with the original scale. The eight-item treatment-outcome post-traumatic stress disorder scale also correlated significantly with a self-rated measure of post-traumatic stress disorder and distinguished at a highly significant level between responders and non-responders on an independently judged Clinical Global Impressions measure. The results of this study are discussed and future directions suggested.

Adult↗

War trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a delayed reaction to an abnormal, traumatic life experience, such as combat, terrorism, an automobile or aircraft accident, a natural disaster, and physical, sexual or psychologic abuse. Major concerns exist about the use of medication in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. Patients suffering from the disorder appear to benefit from psychosocial therapy and spiritual support, in conjunction with medication.

Combat Disorders↗