Trauma, comorbidity, and mortality following diagnoses of severe stress and adjustment disorders: a nationwide cohort study

Implications of gene × environment interactions in post-traumatic stress disorder risk and treatment

Exposure to traumatic stress is common in the general population. Variation in the brain's molecular encoding of stress potentially contributes to the heterogeneous clinical outcomes in response to traumatic experiences. For instance, only a minority of those exposed to trauma will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Risk for PTSD is at least partially heritable, with a growing number of genetic factors identified through GWAS. A major limitation of genetic studies is that they capture only the genetic component of risk, whereas PTSD by definition requires an environmental traumatic exposure. Furthermore, the extent, timing, and type of trauma affects susceptibility. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of PTSD risk together with gene × environment interactions, with a focus on how either might inform genetic screening for individuals at high risk for disease, reveal biological mechanisms that might one day yield novel therapeutics, and impact best clinical practices even today. To close, we discuss the interaction of trauma with sex, gender, and race, with a focus on the implications for treatment. Altogether, we suggest that predicting, preventing, and treating PTSD will require integrating both genotypic and environmental information.

Prevalence and risk of psychiatric disorders in young people: prospective cohort study exploring the role of childhood trauma (the HUNT study)

BACKGROUND

Better knowledge about childhood trauma as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders in young people could help strengthen the timeliness and effectiveness of prevention and treatment efforts.

AIMS

To estimate the prevalence and risk of psychiatric disorders in young people following exposure to childhood trauma, including interpersonal violence.

METHOD

This prospective cohort study followed 8199 adolescents (age range 12-20 years) over 13-15 years, into young adulthood (age range 25-35 years). Data about childhood trauma exposure from adolescents participating in the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT, 2006-2008) were linked to data about subsequent development of psychiatric disorders from the Norwegian Patient Registry (2008-2021).

RESULTS

One in four (24.3%) adolescents were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder by young adulthood. Regression analyses showed consistent and significant relationships between childhood exposure to both interpersonal violence and other potentially traumatic events, and subsequent psychiatric disorders and psychiatric comorbidity. The highest estimates were observed for childhood exposure to two or more types of interpersonal violence (polyvictimisation), and development of psychotic disorders (odds ratio 3.41, 95% CI 1.93-5.72), stress and adjustment disorders (odds ratio 4.20, 95% CI 3.05-5.71), personality disorders (odds ratio 3.98, 95% CI 2.70-5.76), alcohol-related disorders (odds ratio 3.28, 95% CI 2.06-5.04) and drug-related disorders (odds ratio 4.67, 95% CI 2.87-7.33).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings emphasise the importance of integrating knowledge about childhood trauma as a potent risk factor for psychopathology into the planning and implementation of services for children, adolescents and young adults.

Estimating expected years of life lost of psychiatric disorders in Taiwan: A Nationwide cohort study

OBJECTIVES

This study employed a national longitudinal cohort to assess expected years of life lost (EYLL) in newly diagnosed psychiatric patients.

METHODS

Data from Taiwan's National Death Registry and Health Insurance Research Database were scrutinized to identify patients with various psychiatric disorders. Disorders were ranked hierarchically, and age groups were categorized as young, middle-aged, and older adults. We utilized the semiparametric survival extrapolation method to estimate life expectancy (LE) and EYLL. Modifying effect of comorbid conditions and socioeconomic characteristics were also explored.

RESULTS

Among the 5,757,431 cases, young adults with dementia, alcohol use disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder experienced an excess of 15 years of EYLL. Middle-aged adults faced approximately 9 years or more of EYLL, while older adults had lower EYLL values. Comorbid conditions, low income levels, and living in rural areas were associated with higher EYLL.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underscores the substantial EYLL among young adults with psychiatric disorders and the significant impact of specific disorders on EYLL. Early intervention, tailored support, and healthcare system readiness are imperative for improved outcomes. Resource allocation and targeted interventions focusing on early detection and comprehensive treatment can alleviate the economic burden.

The Use of Dance and Movement for the Embodied Healing of Interpersonal Trauma in Women and Girls: A Systematic Review

Interpersonal trauma is a pervasive issue with devastating consequences for women and girls of diverse identities. Research has shown that there are many potential physiological consequences for experiencing trauma, and as such, treatment for trauma should incorporate the body. Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) has been emerging in the current literature as one body-oriented treatment approach effective in helping women and girls heal from interpersonal trauma. This review uses textual narrative evidence synthesis to examine how practitioners are currently using DMT for this population, what treatment outcomes have been observed, and what the racial/ethnic identities and international contexts are for survivors who have benefited from DMT. Inclusion criteria for the present review included peer-reviewed studies published in English between the years 2000 to 2022, reporting data on the use of dance or movement to help women and/or adolescent girls aged 12 and older heal from interpersonal trauma. Studies were identified through electronic databases, and 16 total studies met criteria. This review found that the characteristics and structure of DMT vary greatly between different practitioners, the participants of DMT are very diverse, and there are many commonly observed outcomes such as increased physical ability, increased emotional capacity, mind-body integration, safety, aid with trauma processing, empowerment, social support, and fun. This review also gives recommendations for practitioners who wish to utilize dance and movement in treatment: offer group interventions; use the body to create metaphor, imagery, and symbolism; give survivors choices in how they participate; use music purposefully; and don't forget to cultivate joy.

Social and humanitarian issues in nephrology and hypertension

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic kidney disease and hypertension, two widely prevalent conditions worldwide, present an urgent and pressing need for immediate action. The review describes how social conditions and humanitarian issues can influence hypertension and kidney disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Undoubtedly, social determinants of health (SDoH) are key influencers in the development of many noncommunicable diseases, including hypertension and kidney disease. Healthcare professionals, including public health workers, play a crucial role in addressing these issues. Poverty, low education level, poor nutrition, housing, exposure to environmental hazards, and stress-related disorders are all factors that can be addressed, either directly or indirectly, through improved awareness and access to proper healthcare services. Besides personal factors, national, regional, or global factors cause serious apprehension. Disasters, whether natural or man-made, can lead to significant aftermaths on the healthy person and certainly on kidney disease and hypertensive patients. A Global Overview Report, 2023 turned out to be one of the most violent years since the end of the Cold War. In 2023, 59 state-based conflicts were recorded in 34 countries, the highest number registered since 1946. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza were the primary contributors with a significant impact on the kidney population, especially people living on dialysis and transplantation patients. They also yielded many refugees or displaced persons with ongoing suffering.

SUMMARY

It is crucial to recognize that social and humanitarian conditions can quickly exacerbate the health of vulnerable populations, particularly those with noncommunicable diseases like hypertension and chronic kidney disease. These patients, who often require continuous follow-up, especially those on dialysis, are particularly vulnerable during difficult times. Their lives depend on uninterrupted access to dialysis or transplantation medications, making the need for special attention and care more pressing. Further research and advocacy are needed to address these issues and ensure the health and well being of these populations.

The adjustment disorder is not a wastebasket diagnosis: a grounded theory study of psychiatrists' and psychologists' clinical reasoning

Background: the aim of this study is to understand the diagnostic process undertaken by psychiatrists and psychologists regarding adjustment disorder (AD) in their clinical practice and how they differentiate it from major depressive episode (MDE).Methods: A hermeneutic study using grounded theory techniques was carried out. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve psychiatrists and eight psychologists in Colombia, and transcribed verbatim. Initial line-by-line coding was performed, followed by focused and axial coding to construct categories explaining the professionals' reasoning process.Results: The clinical reasoning of professionals regarding AD was understood through four major categories. (1) Difficulty in addressing the experience of stressful events, as there is a risk of pathologizing and medicalizing them. (2) Mental health diagnoses are necessary but not apodictic. (3) The diagnostic category of AD allows for the description of a fluctuating depressive and anxious syndrome occurring in reaction to a stressful event, whose abnormality criteria are based on intersubjective knowledge of the patient's life history and consequential reasoning regarding the need for professional support. (4) The AD label could potentially protect against overdiagnosis of MDE and overuse of antidepressants. Many clinicians in their practice thus subordinate the diagnosis of MDE to ensuring it is not AD, contrary to what is outlined in diagnostic manuals.Conclusion: This study allowed us to understand the clinical reasoning of psychiatrists and psychologists about AD as a diagnosis that inherently indicates the need to work on coping and intervene in the stressor and should be considered as a diagnostic possibility in the same hierarchy as MDE in reactive syndromes, rather than a residual category.

A novel animal model for understanding secondary traumatic stress and visceral pain in male rats

Empathetic relationships and the social transference of behaviours have been shown to occur in humans, and more recently through the development of rodent models, where both fear and pain phenotypes develop in observer animals. Clinically, observing traumatic events can induce 'trauma and stressor-related disorders' as defined in the DSM 5. These disorders are often comorbid with pain and gastrointestinal disturbances; however, our understanding of how gastrointestinal - or visceral - pain can be vicariously transmitted is lacking. Visceral pain originates from the internal organs, and despite its widespread prevalence, remains poorly understood. We established an observation paradigm to assess the impact of witnessing visceral pain. We utilised colorectal distension (CRD) to induce visceral pain behaviours in a stimulus rodent while the observer rodent observed. Twenty four hours post-observation, the observer rodent's visceral sensitivity was assessed using CRD. The observer rodents were found to have significant hyperalgesia as determined by lower visceral pain threshold and higher number of total pain behaviours compared with controls. The behaviours of the observer animals during the observation were found to be correlated with the behaviours of the stimulus animal employed. We found that observer animals had hypoactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, highlighted by reduced corticosterone at 90 minutes post-CRD. Using c-Fos immunohistochemistry we showed that observer animals also had increased activation of the anterior cingulate cortex, and decreased activation of the paraventricular nucleus, compared with controls. These results suggest that witnessing another animal in pain produces a behavioural phenotype and impacts the brain-gut axis.

Differences in psychiatric comorbidity patterns in patients diagnosed with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder and depression - A cohort study in the total population of Region Stockholm

The high prevalence of stress-related disorders and depression underscores the urgent need to unravel their impact on individual well-being. This study aim to investigate common psychiatric and stress-related diagnoses, along with postviral fatigue, in individuals with prior stress-induced exhaustion disorder (SED) and prior depression compared to those without prior SED or depression, and to study whether the psychiatric comorbidity patterns differ. The study includes individuals in Region Stockholm who, in 2011, did not have a diagnosis of SED or depression. ICD-10 diagnosis of SED, depression, or both, recorded in 2012-2013, were compared to individuals without prior SED or depression in a cohort (n = 1,362,886), aged 18 to 65. Odds ratios (OR) with 99 % confidence intervals, adjusted for age and neighborhood socioeconomic status, were calculated for psychiatric disorders and post-viral fatigue in 2014-2022. Patients with prior SED showed associations primarily with stress related diagnoses, including acute stress reaction, reaction to severe stress, as well as post-COVID-19 and post-viral fatigue syndrome. These ORs were all larger for SED than depression. Depression was primarily associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol related and substance use disorders, schizophrenia, schizotypal disorders, delusional disorders, manic episode, bipolar affective disorder, persistent mood disorder, neurotic disorder, borderline personality disorder, autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, attention -deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention-deficit disorders ADHD/ADD), and suicide attempt. These ORs were all higher for depression, although autistic disorders, ADHD/ADD and PTSD were also highly associated with prior SED (OR > 3.5). The divergent psychiatric comorbidity patterns suggest different underlying mechanisms and clinical prognosis.

Epidemical trends and risk factors of PTSD in parents of critically ill children: Evidence from both meta-analysis and subgroup analysis

BACKGROUND

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in parents traumatized by a child's critical illness, while differences in prevalence and risk factors for parental PTSD in previous studies. This study aimed to assess trends in the prevalence and risk factors for PTSD in parents of critically ill children.

METHODS

Nine main databases were searched to extract the prevalence, sample size and risk factors from the published literature. Random effects model analysis, I2 statistic, quality assessment, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria, with pooled prevalence rates of 13.8 % (95 % CI: [confidence interval, CI] 10.0 %-17.7 %) in fathers and 20.2 % (95 % CI:16.1 %-24.3 %) in mothers. Mothers had a significantly higher prevalence of PTSD compared to fathers. The prevalence of PTSD generally increased after discharge, with the highest prevalence at 6 months, but then decreased (fathers: 18.0 %, CI: 6.1 %-29.9 %; mothers: 20.2 %, CI: 12.8 %-27.6 %), respectively. The results showed five risks, positive acute stress disorder (ASD) screening (OR [odds ratio, OR] =2.45), disease severity (OR = 3.78), perceived stress (OR = 1.44), unemployed status (OR = 2.52) and length of hospital stay (OR = 1.01).

LIMITATIONS

Due to the limitations of the original study, we could not explore trends in the prevalence of PTSD in this particular population over a more extended period after hospital discharge.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of PTSD among parents of critically ill children is high and significantly different. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on this vulnerable group, providing them with essential psychological counseling and comprehensive social support to reduce the occurrence of PTSD.

Severity of posttraumatic stress disorder, type 2 diabetes outcomes and all-cause mortality: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Some evidence suggests patients with comorbid PTSD and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have worse T2D outcomes than those with T2D alone. However, there is no evidence regarding PTSD severity and risk for starting insulin, hyperglycemia, microvascular complications, and all-cause mortality.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) medical record data from fiscal year (FY) 2012 to FY2022 were used to identify eligible patients (n = 23,161) who had a PTSD diagnosis, ≥1 PTSD Checklist score, controlled T2D (HbA1c ≤ 7.5) without microvascular complications at baseline. PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores defined mild, moderate, and severe PTSD. Competing risk and survival models estimated the association between PTSD severity and T2D outcomes before and after controlling for confounding.

RESULTS

Most (70%) patients were ≥ 50 years of age, 88% were male, 64.2% were of white race and 17.1% had mild, 67.4% moderate and 15.5% severe PTSD. After control for confounding, as compared to mild PTSD, moderate (HR = 1.05; 95% CI:1.01-1.11) and severe PTSD (HR = 1.15; 95%CI:1.07-1.23) were significantly associated with increased risk for microvascular complication. Hyperarousal was associated with a 42% lower risk of starting insulin. Negative mood was associated with a 16% increased risk for any microvascular complication. Severe PTSD was associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.76; 95%CI:0.63-0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with comorbid PTSD and T2D have an increased risk for microvascular complications. However, they have lower mortality risk perhaps due to more health care use and earlier chronic disease detection. PTSD screening among patients with T2D may be warranted.

DSM-5-TR diagnosis as a guide to suicide risk assessment

A specific mental disorder can itself constitute a risk factor for a completed suicide. Even more important, the disorder is typically a modifiable risk factor which informs its own treatment. Recent editions of the DSM have included "suicide subsections" for specific mental disorders and conditions in which the risks of suicidal thoughts and behaviors for the disorder are noted in the literature. The DSM-5-TR can therefore serve as a compendium to be referred to for initial guidance as to whether a specific disorder could contribute to the risk. Adding completed suicides and suicide attempts, also addressed in these subsections, the sections were examined individually for the four parameters of suicidality. Accordingly, the four parameters of suicidality examined here are: suicide, suicidal thoughts, suicidal behavior, and suicide attempts. After providing interpretive comments for each, the parameters for all disorders with a suicide subsection were tabulated for ease of reference. Because specific medical disorders are also associated with elevated rates of suicide, these disorders and the supporting research are tabulated and briefly acknowledged. Allowing for the limitations of the suicide subsections and their analysis, this exegesis is proposed to contribute to training in risk assessment for forensic psychiatry and psychology fellows and to highlight the potential referential value of the DSM-5-TR's suicide subsections for clinical practitioners and those who pursue research on suicide.

Trauma Matters: Integrating Genetic and Environmental Components of PTSD

Trauma is ubiquitous, but only a subset of those who experience trauma will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this review, it is argued that to determine who is at risk of developing PTSD, it is critical to examine the genetic etiology of the disorder and individual trauma profiles of those who are susceptible. First, the state of current PTSD genetic research is described, with a particular focus on studies that present evidence for trauma type specificity, or for differential genetic etiology according to gender or race. Next, approaches that leverage non-traditional phenotyping approaches are reviewed to identify PTSD-associated variants and biology, and the relative advantages and limitations inherent in these studies are reflected on. Finally, it is discussed how trauma might influence the heritability of PTSD, through type, risk factors, genetics, and associations with PTSD symptomology.

Diagnosed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Other Trauma-Associated Stress Disorders and Risk for Suicide Mortality

OBJECTIVE

Strong evidence exists for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors across diverse populations. However, few empirical studies have examined PTSD and other trauma-associated stress disorders as risk factors for suicide mortality among health system populations. This study aimed to assess trauma-associated stress diagnoses as risk factors for suicide mortality in a U.S. health system population.

METHODS

This case-control, matched-design study examined individuals who died by suicide between 2000 and 2015 and had received care from nine U.S. health systems affiliated with the Mental Health Research Network (N=3,330). Individuals who died by suicide were matched with individuals from the general health system population (N=333,000): 120 individuals with PTSD who died by suicide were matched with 1,592 control group members, 84 with acute reaction to stress were matched with 2,218 control individuals, and 331 with other stress reactions were matched with 8,174 control individuals.

RESULTS

After analyses were adjusted for age and sex, individuals with any trauma-associated stress condition were more likely to have died by suicide. Risk was highest among individuals with PTSD (adjusted OR [AOR]=10.10, 95% CI=8.31-12.27), followed by those with other stress reactions (AOR=5.38, 95% CI=4.78-6.06) and those with acute reaction to stress (AOR=4.49, 95% CI=3.58-5.62). Patterns of risk remained the same when the analyses were adjusted for any comorbid psychiatric condition.

CONCLUSIONS

All trauma-associated stress disorders are risk factors for suicide mortality, highlighting the importance of health system suicide prevention protocols that consider the full spectrum of traumatic stress diagnoses.

Are migrants diagnosed with a trauma-related disorder at risk of premature mortality? A register-based cohort study in Denmark

Background

Mental illness is common among refugees displaced by conflict and war. While evidence points to the relatively good health in terms of longevity of migrants resettled in the destination country, less is known about the mortality of the most vulnerable migrants with a trauma-related diagnosis alone and those with an additional comorbid psychotic disorder. This study aimed to provide an overview of the number and mortality of foreign-born individuals diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Enduring Personality Change after a Catastrophic Event (PTSD/EPCACE), a psychotic disorder or both.

Methods

A nationwide register-based cohort study, including residents in Denmark, followed from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2016. The exposure was PTSD/EPCACE and psychotic disorders as well as region of origin. Relative all-cause mortality was estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models and calculated for migrants with one or both groups of disorders compared to those from the same region without the disorder.

Results

During the study period, 6,580,000 individuals (50.4% women) were included in the cohort. Of these 1,249,654 (50.5% women) died during follow-up. For men and women from the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East and Northern Africa, a PTSD/EPCACE diagnosis alone or with comorbid psychotic disorder was not associated with increased mortality after adjusting for region of origin. A psychotic disorder alone, however, was associated with an increased mortality rate.

Conclusion

Despite the severity of many refugees' traumatic experiences, a diagnosis of a trauma-related psychiatric disorder did not appear to increase the mortality rates.

Lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder as a predictor of mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) could potentially increase the risk of mortality, and there is a need for a meta-analysis to quantify this association. This study aims to determine the extent to which PTSD is a predictor of mortality.

METHODS

EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched systematically on 12th February 2020, with updated searches conducted in July 2021, and December 2022 (PROSPERO CRD42019142971). Studies involving community-dwelling participants with a diagnosis of PTSD or PTSD symptoms, and a comparator group of individuals without PTSD, and which assessed mortality risk, were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on studies reporting Odds Ratio (OR), Hazard Ratio (HR), and Risk Ratio (RR), and subgroup analysis was also performed by age, sex, type of trauma experienced, PTSD diagnosis, and cause of death.

RESULTS

A total of 30 eligible studies of mostly good methodological quality were identified, with a total of more than 2.1 million participants with PTSD. The majority of studies involved male-dominated, veteran populations. PTSD was associated with a 47% (95% CI: 1.06-2.04) greater risk of mortality across six studies that reported OR/RR, and a 32% increased risk across 18 studies which reported time to death (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.10-1.59). There was very high study heterogeneity (I2 > 94%) and this was not explained by the prespecified subgroup analysis.

CONCLUSION

PTSD is associated with increased mortality risk, however further research is required amongst civilians, involving women, and in individuals from underdeveloped countries.

Elderly patients with adaptive disorder diagnosis in psychogeriatry interconsultation: clinical profile and therapeutic approach

Adaptive disorder is a frequent diagnosis but poorly studied in the elderly population hospitalized. Despite it is considerate benign and non-subsidiary entity of improvement through pharmacological treatment. It can evolve in a difficult way and the pharmacological treatment is widespread. The use of drugs could be harmful the elderly population with pluripathology and polypharmacy.

Trauma-related guilt as a mediator between post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation

Background

As a mental health issue, suicide is a growing global concern, with patients who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being at particularly high risk. This study aimed to investigate whether the link between PTSD and suicidal ideation is mediated by trauma-related guilt.

Methods

Data were obtained from Wave 1, Time 1 (November 2016), and Time 2 (March 2017) of the National Survey for Stress and Health (NSSH) in Japan. The NSSH is an online longitudinal survey conducted on Japan's national population aged 18 years and older. The cumulative response rate of the survey was 66.7% at Time 2. A total of 1,005 patients with PTSD were included for analyses. The severity of PTSD symptoms was assessed with PTSD DSM-5 Checklist, and the trauma-related guilt were assessed using the two subscales (hindsight-bias/responsibility and global guilt scale) of the trauma-related guilt inventory (TRGI). Suicidal ideation was evaluated using the suicidal ideation attributes scale (SIDAS). Pearson's correlation was used to investigate the associations among PTSD symptoms, TRGI scores, and SIDAS scores. Causal mediation analysis was applied to evaluate the causal relationship between PTSD, trauma-related guilt, and suicidal ideation.

Results

Pearson's correlation did not show patients' age, gender, and household income significantly associated with SIDAS scores. On the other hand, severities of PTSD symptoms (r = 0.361, p < 0.001) and trauma-related guilt (r = 0.235, p < 0.001) were positively associated with SIDAS scores. After adjusting for age, gender, and household income, the mediation analysis revealed that trauma-related guilt significantly mediates the effects of PTSD symptoms on suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

Our results implied that trauma-related guilt may represent a critical link between PTSD and suicidal ideation, which may be a noteworthy target for therapeutic intervention.

Outcomes and prognosis of adjustment disorder in adults: A systematic review

Adjustment disorder (AD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders and is generally conceptualized to be mild and short-lived. Despite the frequent use of AD in clinical settings, little is known about the prognosis of this condition. Our goal was to systematically review research on a range of AD outcomes in order to provide a broad characterization of AD prognosis. We conducted searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. We included 31 cohort or randomized controlled trials with a total of 1,385,358 participants. Many patients maintained an AD diagnosis or were diagnosed with another mental health disorder months to years after initial diagnosis. Patients with AD tended to show symptom improvement at higher rates and to utilize less treatment than did patients with other disorders. AD-diagnosed groups experienced subsequent development of numerous physical conditions, such as infection, cancers, Parkinson's disease, and cardiovascular events, at higher rates than did control groups. Results were mixed regarding suicidality and occupational impairment. We rated most studies as having a moderate risk of bias. Based on limited findings, AD appears to progress as a milder disorder than do other disorders, but it not uncommonly transitions to more severe mental health states and may predict the development of future health issues, both mental and physical. Future prospective research that conforms to prognosis study guidelines is needed to better understand the course of this common disorder.

Suicidality in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and its association with receipt of specific secondary mental healthcare treatments

BACKGROUND

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a risk factor for suicidality (suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt). This study described the prevalence of suicidality amongst a representative sample of individuals with PTSD and the association between suicidality and receipt of five PTSD treatments.

METHODS

We analysed deidentified data for patients being treated for PTSD at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust between 2009 and 2017 obtained via the Clinical Record Interactive Search tool. We described the sample's sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and used stepwise logistic regression to investigate the association between suicidality and receipt of four, specific PTSD treatments: psychotherapy, antidepressant/antianxiety medication, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to investigate the association between suicidality and hospital/crisis team admission.

RESULTS

Of 745 patients diagnosed with PTSD, 60% received psychotherapy and 66% received psychotropic medication. Those who reported suicidality (6%) were no more likely than those who did not to be prescribed antidepressant/antianxiety medication, but were more likely to receive antipsychotics (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.15 - 4.47), benzodiazepines (AOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.17 - 4.44), psychotherapy (AOR 2.60, 95% CI 1.18 - 5.73) and to be admitted to hospital/crisis team (AOR 2.84, 95% 1.82 - 4.45).

CONCLUSION

In this sample, patients with PTSD and suicidality were more likely to receive psychiatric medication, psychotherapy and psychiatric admission than those who were not suicidal. Overall patients were more likely to receive psychotropic medication than psychotherapy. Adherence to clinical guidelines is important in this population to improve treatment outcomes and reduce the risk of suicide.KEY POINTSNICE guidelines recommend psychological therapy be first line treatment for PTSD, yet we identified that fewer people diagnosed with PTSD received therapy compared to psychotropic medication.Patients with suicidality were more likely to receive antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, yet not antidepressant/antianxiety medication although given that suicidality is characteristic of severe depression, it might be assumed from stepped care models that antidepressant/antianxiety medication be prescribed before antipsychotics.The high proportion of patients prescribed antipsychotics suggests a need for better understanding of psychosis symptoms among trauma-exposed populations.Identifying which combinations of symptoms are associated with suicidal thoughts could help tailor trauma-informed approaches to discussing therapy and medication.

Acute stress disorder in trauma patients discharged in 72 h or less

INTRODUCTION

Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric condition affecting individuals exposed to trauma and requires the presence of symptoms 72 h following trauma. Patients evaluated for trauma related injury are often discharged prior to 72 h, but the risk of ASD remains. The aim of this study was to quantify the rate of acute stress disorder in trauma patients admitted for fewer than 72 h.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a prospective, observational study of trauma patients discharged prior to 72 h at our ACS Level I Trauma Center between June 2020 and December 2020. Participants were administered an institutional screening tool following hospital discharge. Positive screens were then administered the diagnostic Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) tool. The rate of ASD was calculated and bivariate comparisons between participants who met diagnostic criteria and those who did not were performed to identify risk factors for the development of acute stress disorder.

RESULTS

116 patients participated (median age 54, 66% male, median injury severity score (ISS) 9). Forty patients (34%) screened positive via the institutional screening tool, with 14 (12%) ultimately demonstrating ASD by ASDS. Participants who developed ASD were more likely to be female (71 vs. 30%, p = 0.005), African American (43 vs. 12% White, p = 0.016), spend less time in the hospital overall (1-2 vs. 2-3 days. p = 0.045), and have a lower ISS (6 vs. 9, p = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found 12% of trauma patients discharged prior to 72 h developed ASD. These data point to possible benefit in reassessment of injured patients following hospital discharge and the importance of developing pathways for trauma patients to access mental health resources.

Association between post-traumatic stress disorder severity and death by suicide in US military veterans: retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

There is mixed evidence regarding the direction of a potential association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide mortality.

AIMS

This is the first population-based study to account for both PTSD diagnosis and PTSD symptom severity simultaneously in the examination of suicide mortality.

METHOD

Retrospective study that included all US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients with a PTSD diagnosis and at least one symptom severity assessment using the PTSD Checklist (PCL) between 1 October 1999 and 31 December 2018 (n = 754 197). We performed multivariable proportional hazards regression models using exposure groups defined by level of PTSD symptom severity to estimate suicide mortality rates. For patients with multiple PCL scores, we performed additional models using exposure groups defined by level of change in PTSD symptom severity. We assessed suicide mortality using the VA/Department of Defense Mortality Data Repository.

RESULTS

Any level of PTSD symptoms above the minimum threshold for symptomatic remission (i.e. PCL score >18) was associated with double the suicide mortality rate at 1 month after assessment. This relationship decreased over time but patients with moderate to high symptoms continued to have elevated suicide rates. Worsening PTSD symptoms were associated with a 25% higher long-term suicide mortality rate. Among patients with improved PTSD symptoms, those with symptomatic remission had a substantial and sustained reduction in the suicide rate compared with those without symptomatic remission (HR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.37-0.88).

CONCLUSIONS

Ameliorating PTSD can reduce risk of suicide mortality, but patients must achieve symptomatic remission to attain this benefit.

Association of stress-related disorders with subsequent risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: A population-based and sibling-controlled cohort study

Background

Methods

Findings

Interpretation

Funding

Predictors of response to cognitive-behavioral therapy in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Objective Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly prevalent and disabling disorder. Even when treated with the first-line intervention, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), 45% of the patients continue suffering from this disorder. Therefore, knowing the factors that could foresee who will respond to CBT would be of great value to the treatment of these patients. Thus, we have systematically reviewed the literature to identify the variables that could predict response to CBT in patients suffering from PTSD. Methods Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched the electronic databases ISI Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and PTSDpubs until November 2021. Two authors have independently conducted study selection and data extraction. Studies that examined possible predictors of response to therapy on a sample of adults (18-65 years), both genders, with and without comorbidities were considered eligible. The characteristics of the studies were synthesized in a table. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias quality assessment tool. Results Twenty-eight studies comprising 15 variables were selected. Among those, eight showed a low risk of bias, 19 showed some concerns, and one showed a high potential risk of bias. The therapeutic relationship was the only variable considered to be a predictor of a good response to therapy. All other variables showed conflicting results. Conclusions The most promising variable, although scientifically weak, is the therapeutic relationship. Additional randomized clinical trials should be conducted to clarify the role of this variable as a predictor of response to CBT in patients with PTSD.

MDMA-assisted therapy significantly reduces eating disorder symptoms in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of adults with severe PTSD

INTRODUCTION

Eating disorders (EDs) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly comorbid, yet there are no proven integrative treatment modalities for ED-PTSD. In clinical trials, MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) has shown marked success in the treatment of PTSD and may be promising for ED-PTSD.

METHODS

Ninety individuals with severe PTSD received treatment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal trial of MDMA-AT. In addition to the primary (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale) and secondary (Sheehan Disability Scale) outcome measures, the Eating Attitudes Test 26 (EAT-26) was administered for pre-specified exploratory purposes at baseline and at study termination.

RESULTS

The study sample consisted of 58 females (placebo = 31, MDMA = 27) and 31 males (placebo = 12, MDMA = 19) (n = 89). Seven participants discontinued prior to study termination. At baseline, 13 (15%) of the 89 individuals with PTSD had total EAT-26 scores in the clinical range (≥20), and 28 (31.5%) had total EAT-26 scores in the high-risk range (≥11) despite the absence of active purging or low weight. In completers (n = 82), there was a significant reduction in total EAT-26 scores in the total group of PTSD participants following MDMA-AT versus placebo (p = .03). There were also significant reductions in total EAT-26 scores in women with high EAT-26 scores ≥11 and ≥ 20 following MDMA-AT versus placebo (p = .0012 and p = .0478, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

ED psychopathology is common in individuals with PTSD even in the absence of EDs with active purging and low weight. MDMA-AT significantly reduced ED symptoms compared to therapy with placebo among participants with severe PTSD. MDMA-AT for ED-PTSD appears promising and requires further study.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of predictors of adjustment disorders in adults

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of adjustment disorder is common in clinical practice, yet there is lack of research on the etiology and epidemiology of adjustment disorders. The goal of this systematic review was to evaluate predictors of adjustment disorders in adults.

METHODS

We conducted systematic searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. We included 70 studies that examined thirteen theoretically-derived and predefined predictors of adjustment disorders with a total of 3,449,374 participants.

RESULTS

We found that female gender, younger age, unemployed status, stress, physical illness and injury, low social support, and a history of mental health disorders predicted adjustment disorders. Most of these predictors differentiated individuals with adjustment disorders from individuals with no mental health disorders. Participants with adjustment disorders were more likely to have experienced accidents than were those with posttraumatic stress disorder but were less likely to have experienced assaults and abuse, neglect, and maltreatment. More research is needed to identify factors that differentiate adjustment disorders from other mental health disorders.

LIMITATIONS

Because very few studies adjusted for confounders (e.g., demographic variables, mental health histories, and a variety of stressors), it was not possible to identify independent associations between predictors and adjustment disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a number of factors that predicted adjustment disorders compared to no mental health diagnosis. The majority of studies were rated as moderate or high in risk of bias, suggesting that more rigorous research is needed to confirm the relationships we detected.

Mining Clinical Data for Novel Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Medications

BACKGROUND

Despite the prevalence and negative impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are few medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment, and approved medications do not work well enough. We leveraged large-scale electronic health record data to identify existing medications that may be repurposed as PTSD treatments.

METHODS

We constructed a mechanistic tree of all Food and Drug Administration-approved medications and used the tree-based scan statistic to identify medications associated with greater than expected levels of clinically meaningful improvement in PTSD symptoms using electronic health record data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Our cohort included patients with a diagnosis of PTSD who had repeated symptom measurements using the PTSD Checklist over a 20-year period (N = 168,941). We calculated observed numbers based on patients taking each drug or mechanistically related class of drugs and the expected numbers based on the tree as a whole.

RESULTS

Medications typically used to treat PTSD, such as the Food and Drug Administration-approved agent sertraline, were associated with improvement in PTSD symptoms, but the effects were small. Several, but not all, direct-acting antivirals used in the treatment of hepatitis C virus demonstrated a strong association with PTSD improvement. The finding was robust to a sensitivity analysis excluding patients who received established PTSD treatments, including trauma-focused psychotherapy, concurrent with hepatitis treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our exploratory approach both demonstrated findings that are consistent with what is known about pharmacotherapy for PTSD and uncovered a novel class of medications that may improve PTSD symptoms.

Preexisting stress-related diagnoses and mortality: A Danish cancer cohort study

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the association between preexisting stress-related diagnoses and mortality in a Danish population-based cancer cohort.

METHODS

This study included Danish patients with cancer diagnosed in 1995-2011 who had a stress-related diagnosis before their cancer diagnosis. Cancer patients without a prior stress-related diagnosis were matched 5:1 to the stress disorder cohort by cancer site, age group, calendar period, and sex. The 5-year cumulative incidence of cancer-specific and all-cause mortality was computed by stress-related diagnosis category. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associating stress-related diagnoses with mortality were computed by follow-up time, stress-related diagnosis category, stage, comorbidity status, and cancer type.

RESULTS

This study identified 4437 cancer patients with a preexisting stress-related diagnosis and 22,060 matched cancer cohort members. The 5-year cumulative risk of cancer-specific mortality was 33% (95% CI, 32%-35%) for those with a preexisting stress-related diagnosis and 29% (95% CI, 28%-29%) for those without a prior stress-related diagnosis. Cancer patients with a preexisting stress-related diagnosis had a 1.3 times higher cancer-specific mortality rate than the comparison cohort members (95% CI, 1.2-1.5). This increase persisted across categories of stress-related diagnosis. The association varied by stage and cancer type, with more pronounced associations found among those with a late stage at diagnosis and hematological malignancies.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer patients with preexisting stress-related diagnoses had increased rates of cancer-specific and all-cause mortality. The results suggest that psychiatric comorbidities may be an important consideration for cancer prognosis, and cancer treatment informed by a patient's history may improve outcomes.

Personality Traits, Dimensions, and Suicidal Behavior in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Results From a Cross-Sectional Study in a Mexican Hospital

Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop after exposure to stressful or life-threatening events and is linked to suicidal behavior. Personality is hypothesized to be a mediator of this risk though assessing factors influencing such findings has been difficult due to the psychiatric comorbidities of the disorder. Objective The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personality and suicidal behavior in people with PTSD. Method This was a cross-sectional study with 67 participants diagnosed with PTSD who completed a structured interview (SCID-II), and an inventory (NEO-FFI) to gather personality characteristics. Data were collected and analyzed through statistical software, and the investigation period ranged from August 2020 to July 2021. Results Extraversion was correlated with suicide attempts, borderline traits predicted the number of these, and a negative relationship was found between conscientiousness and the same variable. Schizotypal traits were also positively correlated to self-harm. Extraversion, schizoid, borderline, and obsessive-compulsive traits were more likely to be diagnosed with either depressive and/or anxious disorders. Extraversion's association with suicidal attempts is inconsistent with previous studies, although the correlation of borderline traits with the same variable complies with existing knowledge. Schizotypal traits and their link with self-harm may be a novelty for this line of research, although the connection between extraversion, schizoid, borderline, and obsessive-compulsive traits along with depressive and anxious disorders echoes current literature. Conclusion Certain characteristics of personality are related to suicidal behavior in individuals with PTSD.

Psychiatric and Physical Health Outcomes Associated with Interpersonal Violence: A Propensity Score Matching Approach

This study examined the association between interpersonal violence and a range of psychiatric and physical health outcomes and assessed whether these associations changed when controlling for a stress-related diagnosis. An observational case-control study was conducted on a sample of 4,059 victims of violence. Using propensity score matching a number of risk factors (assessed five years prior assault) were used. Controls were matched 10:1 using the Danish Central Registry System. Outcomes were ICD-10 diagnoses of a range of psychiatric and physical health outcomes in the 15 years post-injury. Statistically significant associations were found for all psychiatric conditions and a diagnosis of a drug or substance misuse disorder. These findings remained even after controlling for a diagnosis of a stress-related disorder. Large scale case-control studies using the Danish nationwide registers enables a powerful way of assessing the relative impact of exposure to interpersonal violence on the development of psychiatric and physical health problems.

Perceived social stigma, self-concealment, and suicide risk among North Korean refugee women exposed to traumatic events

INTRODUCTION

Suicide among North Korean (NK) refugee women is one of the most concerning public health problems in South Korea. Pre-resettlement trauma exposure and post-resettlement factors can contribute to suicide risk among NK refugee women; however, few studies have explored these associations.

METHODS

This study aimed to assess suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among NK refugee women in South Korea (N = 212) and to examine the impact of pre-resettlement trauma exposure on suicide risk. Perceived social stigma and self-concealment in the post-resettlement phases were investigated as moderating factors for suicide risk related to trauma exposure using multiple regression analyses.

RESULTS

Trauma exposure significantly increased suicidal ideation severity and the risk of suicide attempt. Furthermore, perceived social stigma significantly moderated this relationship such that the impact of trauma exposure in the pre-resettlement phases was amplified as perceived social stigma increased.

CONCLUSION

Based on our study findings, professionals working with refugee populations should assess for perceived social stigma and exposure to traumatic events to reduce and prevent suicidal ideation and attempts.

A comorbid mental disorder paradox: Using causal diagrams to understand associations between posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide

OBJECTIVE

Although some studies document that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases suicide risk, other studies have produced the paradoxical finding that PTSD decreases suicide risk. We sought to understand methodologic biases that may explain these paradoxical findings through the use of directed acyclic graphs (DAGs).

METHOD

DAGs are causal diagrams that visually encode a researcher's assumptions about data generating mechanisms and assumed causal relations among variables. DAGs can connect theories to data and guide statistical choices made in study design and analysis. In this article, we describe DAGs and explain how they can be used to identify biases that may arise from inappropriate analytic decisions and data limitations.

RESULTS

We define a particular form of bias, collider bias, that is a likely explanation for why studies have found a supposedly protective association of PTSD with suicide. This protective association is interpreted by some researchers as evidence that PTSD reduces the risk of suicide. Collider bias may occur through inappropriate adjustment for a psychiatric comorbidity, such as adjustment for variables that are affected by PTSD and share common causes with suicide.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend that researchers collect longitudinal measurements of psychiatric comorbidities, which would help establish the temporal ordering of variables and avoid the biases discussed in this article. Furthermore, researchers could use DAGs to explore how results may be impacted by design and analytic decisions prior to execution. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Internet-based cognitive and behavioural therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults

BACKGROUND

Therapist-delivered trauma-focused psychological therapies are effective for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have become the accepted first-line treatments. Despite the established evidence-base for these therapies, they are not always widely available or accessible. Many barriers limit treatment uptake, such as the number of qualified therapists available to deliver the interventions; cost; and compliance issues, such as time off work, childcare, and transportation, associated with the need to attend weekly appointments. Delivering Internet-based cognitive and behavioural therapy (I-C/BT) is an effective and acceptable alternative to therapist-delivered treatments for anxiety and depression.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of I-C/BT for PTSD in adults.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to June 2020. We also searched online clinical trial registries and reference lists of included studies and contacted the authors of included studies and other researchers in the field to identify additional and ongoing studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We searched for RCTs of I-C/BT compared to face-to-face or Internet-based psychological treatment, psychoeducation, wait list, or care as usual. We included studies of adults (aged over 16 years), in which at least 70% of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed abstracts, extracted data, and entered data into Review Manager 5. The primary outcomes were severity of PTSD symptoms and dropouts. Secondary outcomes included diagnosis of PTSD after treatment, severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, cost-effectiveness, adverse events, treatment acceptability, and quality of life. We analysed categorical outcomes as risk ratios (RRs), and continuous outcomes as mean differences (MD) or standardised mean differences (SMDs), with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We pooled data using a fixed-effect meta-analysis, except where heterogeneity was present, in which case we used a random-effects model. We independently assessed the included studies for risk of bias and we evaluated the certainty of available evidence using the GRADE approach; we discussed any conflicts with at least one other review author, with the aim of reaching a unanimous decision.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 13 studies with 808 participants. Ten studies compared I-C/BT delivered with therapist guidance to a wait list control. Two studies compared guided I-C/BT with I-non-C/BT. One study compared guided I-C/BT with face-to-face non-C/BT. There was substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. I-C/BT compared with face-to-face non-CBT Very low-certainty evidence based on one small study suggested face-to-face non-CBT may be more effective than I-C/BT at reducing PTSD symptoms post-treatment (MD 10.90, 95% CI 6.57 to 15.23; studies = 1, participants = 40). There may be no evidence of a difference in dropout rates between treatments (RR 2.49, 95% CI 0.91 to 6.77; studies = 1, participants = 40; very low-certainty evidence). The study did not measure diagnosis of PTSD, severity of depressive or anxiety symptoms, cost-effectiveness, or adverse events. I-C/BT compared with wait list Very low-certainty evidence showed that, compared with wait list, I-C/BT may be associated with a clinically important reduction in PTSD post-treatment (SMD -0.61, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.29; studies = 10, participants = 608). There may be no evidence of a difference in dropout rates between the I-C/BT and wait list groups (RR 1.25, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.60; studies = 9, participants = 634; low-certainty evidence). I-C/BT may be no more effective than wait list at reducing the risk of a diagnosis of PTSD after treatment (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.00; studies = 1, participants = 62; very low-certainty evidence). I-C/BT may be associated with a clinically important reduction in symptoms of depression post-treatment (SMD -0.51, 95% CI -0.97 to -0.06; studies = 7, participants = 473; very low-certainty evidence). Very low-certainty evidence also suggested that I-C/BT may be associated with a clinically important reduction in symptoms of anxiety post-treatment (SMD -0.61, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.33; studies = 5, participants = 345). There were no data regarding cost-effectiveness. Data regarding adverse events were uncertain, as only one study reported an absence of adverse events. I-C/BT compared with I-non-C/BT There may be no evidence of a difference in PTSD symptoms post-treatment between the I-C/BT and I-non-C/BT groups (SMD -0.08, 95% CI -0.52 to 0.35; studies = 2, participants = 82; very low-certainty evidence). There may be no evidence of a difference between dropout rates from the I-C/BT and I-non-C/BT groups (RR 2.14, 95% CI 0.97 to 4.73; studies = 2, participants = 132; I² = 0%; very low-certainty evidence). Two studies found no evidence of a difference in post-treatment depressive symptoms between the I-C/BT and I-non-C/BT groups (SMD -0.12, 95% CI -0.78 to 0.54; studies = 2, participants = 84; very low-certainty evidence). Two studies found no evidence of a difference in post-treatment symptoms of anxiety between the I-C/BT and I-non-C/BT groups (SMD 0.08, 95% CI -0.78 to 0.95; studies = 2, participants = 74; very low-certainty evidence). There were no data regarding cost-effectiveness. Data regarding adverse effects were uncertain, as it was not discernible whether adverse effects reported were attributable to the intervention.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

While the review found some beneficial effects of I-C/BT for PTSD, the certainty of the evidence was very low due to the small number of included trials. This review update found many planned and ongoing studies, which is encouraging since further work is required to establish non-inferiority to current first-line interventions, explore mechanisms of change, establish optimal levels of guidance, explore cost-effectiveness, measure adverse events, and determine predictors of efficacy and dropout.

Unspecified stress disorders and risk of arterial and venous thromboembolic disease in the Danish population

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic stress disorder is a well-documented risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Whether non-specific stress-related psychopathology also increases risk is less well known.

METHODS

In a cohort of adult Danish-born residents of Denmark with an incident diagnosis of unspecified reaction to severe stress ("unspecified stress reaction") between 1995 and 2011 (N = 24,534), we assessed incidence of seven arterial and venous cardiovascular events/conditions between 1996 and 2013. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) comparing incidence of each outcome among the cohort to expected incidence based on sex-, age-, and calendar-time-specific national rates. We conducted stratified analyses by demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and length of follow-up time.

RESULTS

Incidence over the study period ranged from 1.1% for provoked VTE to 5.7% for stroke, adjusting for competing risk of death. Unspecified stress reaction was associated with all outcomes (SIRs ranging from 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.4 for atrial fibrillation/flutter to 1.9, 95% CI: 1.7-2.2 for unprovoked VTE and 1.9, 95% CI: 1.6-2.3 for provoked VTE). Associations persisted, but were attenuated, when restricting to persons without alcohol use disorder and to persons without physical health comorbidities.

LIMITATIONS

Unspecified stress reaction has less precise criteria than other stress-related diagnoses, and we could not adjust for some potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results augment literature on stress disorders and cardiovascular disease by highlighting the additional importance of unspecified stress disorders. Further research on this diagnostic category, which may represent subsyndromal psychopathology, is warranted. These findings support considering persons with non-specific stress-related psychopathology in treatment and tertiary prevention activities.

Stress Related Disorders and the Risk of Kidney Disease

INTRODUCTION

Stress related disorders (SRDs, i.e., psychiatric disorders induced by significant life stressors) increase vulnerability to health problems. Whether SRDs associate with risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unknown.

METHODS

A population-matched cohort study in Sweden included 30,998 patients receiving a SRDs diagnosis and 116,677 unexposed patients matched by age, sex and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). The primary outcome was CKD progression, defined as a sustained relative decline in eGFR of more than 40% or commencement of kidney replacement therapy. The secondary outcome was AKI, defined by death or hospitalization attributed to AKI or rapid creatinine changes (increase ≥ 0.3 mg/d over 48 hours or 1.5x over 7 days). Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

During a medium follow-up of 3.2 years, compared to the unexposed, patients with SRDs (median age 45 years, 71% women), were at increased risk of CKD progression (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.10-1.37) and AKI (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04-1.42). While the HR of CKD progression remained similarly elevated during the entire follow-up period, the association with AKI was only observed during the first year after SRDs diagnosis. Results were consistent in stratified analyses, when only considering AKI-hospitalizations/death, and when disregarding eGFR measurements close to index date.

CONCLUSIONS

A diagnosis of SRDs is associated with subsequent risk of AKI and CKD progression. While studies should confirm this observation and characterize underlying mechanisms, close monitoring of kidney function following SRDs diagnosis may be indicated.

Suicide risk in people with post-traumatic stress disorder: A cohort study of 3.1 million people in Sweden

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] is associated with suicide risk in the general population, whether this differs by sex, or what the population impact of PTSD is for suicide.

METHODS

We constructed a nationwide cohort of all people living in Sweden, born 1973-1997, followed from their 14th birthday (or immigration, if later) until suicide, other death, emigration or 31 December 2016. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios [HR], and calculated the population impact of PTSD on suicide. We included sensitivity analyses to explore effects of outcome and exposure definitions, and to account for potential competing risks.

RESULTS

Of 3,177,706 participants, 22,361 (0•7%) were diagnosed with PTSD, and 6,319 (0•2%) died by suicide over 49•2 million person-years. Compared with women and men without PTSD, suicide rates were 6•74 (95%CI: 5•61-8•09) and 3•96 (95%CI: 3•12-5•03) times higher in those with PTSD, respectively, after sociodemographic adjustment. Suicide rates remained elevated in women (HR: 2•61; 95%CI: 2•16-3•14) and men (HR: 1•67; 95%CI: 1•31-2•12) after adjustment for previous psychiatric conditions; attenuation was driven by previous non-fatal suicide attempts. Findings were insensitive to definitions or competing risks. If causal, 1•6% (95%CI: 1•2-2•1) of general population suicides could be attributed to PTSD, and up to 53.7% (95%CI: 46.1-60.2) in people with PTSD.

LIMITATIONS

Residual confounding remains possible due to depressive and anxiety disorders diagnosed in primary care but unrecorded in these registers.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical guidelines for the management of people with PTSD should recognise increased suicide risks.

Association of Posttraumatic Stress and Depressive Symptoms With Mortality in Women

Importance

Consistent evidence has found associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and increased risk of chronic disease and greater prevalence of health risk factors. However, the association between PTSD and all-cause mortality has not been thoroughly investigated in civilians.

Objective

To investigate the association between PTSD symptoms, with or without comorbid depressive symptoms, and risk of death.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective cohort study was conducted using data on female US nurses in the Nurses' Health Study II followed up from 2008 to 2017. Women who responded to a 2008 questionnaire querying PTSD and depressive symptoms were included. Data were analyzed from September 2018 to November 2020.

Exposures

Symptoms of PTSD, measured using the short screening scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) PTSD, and depression symptoms, measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10 in 2008.

Main Outcomes and Measures

All-cause mortality was determined via National Death Index, US Postal Service, or report of participant's family. The hypothesis being tested was formulated after data collection. Trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms were jointly coded as no trauma exposure (reference), trauma and no PTSD symptoms, 1 to 3 PTSD symptoms (subclinical), 4 to 5 PTSD symptoms (moderate), and 6 to 7 PTSD symptoms (high).

Results

Among 51 602 women (50 137 [97.2%] White individuals), the mean (range) age was 53.3 (43-64) years at study baseline in 2008. PTSD and probable depression were comorbid; of 4019 women with high PTSD symptoms, 2093 women (52.1%) had probable depression, while of 10 105 women with no trauma exposure, 1215 women (12.0%) had probable depression. Women with high PTSD symptoms and probable depression were at nearly 4-fold greater risk of death compared with women with no trauma exposure and no depression (hazard ratio [HR], 3.80; 95% CI, 2.65-5.45; P < .001). After adjustment for health factors, women with these conditions had a more than 3-fold increased risk (HR, 3.11; 95% CI, 2.16-4.47, P < .001). Women with subclinical PTSD symptoms without probable depression had increased risk of death compared with women with no trauma exposure and no depression (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.06-1.93; P = .02). Among 7565 women with PTSD symptoms and probable depression, 109 deaths (1.4%) occurred for which we obtained cause of death information, compared with 124 such deaths (0.6% ) among 22 215 women with no depression or PTSD symptoms. Women with PTSD symptoms and probable depression, compared with women with no PTSD or depression, had higher rates of death from cardiovascular disease (17 women [0.22%] vs 11 women [0.05%]; P < .001), diabetes (4 women [0.05%] vs 0 women; P < .001), unintentional injury (7 women [0.09%] vs 7 women [0.03%]; P = .03), suicide (9 women [0.12%] vs 1 woman [<0.01%]; P < .001), and other causes of death (14 women [0.19%] vs 17 women [0.08%]; P = .01).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that at midlife, women with high PTSD symptoms and co-occurring probable depression are at increased risk of death compared with women without these disorders. Treatment of PTSD and depression in women with symptoms of both disorders and efforts to improve their health behaviors may reduce their increased risk of mortality.

Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Educational Achievement in Sweden

IMPORTANCE

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with impaired educational performance. Previous studies on the disorder could not control for important measured and unmeasured confounders.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively investigate the association between PTSD and objective indicators of educational attainment across the life span, controlling for familial factors shared by full siblings, psychiatric comorbidity, and general cognitive ability.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This population-based cohort study included 2 244 193 individuals born in Sweden between January 1, 1973, and December 31, 1997, who were followed-up until December 31, 2013. Clusters of full siblings were used to account for familial factors. Data analyses were conducted between December 2018 and May 2020.

EXPOSURE

International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision diagnoses of PTSD in the Swedish National Patient Register.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Eligibility to access upper secondary education after finishing compulsory education, finishing upper secondary education, starting a university degree, and finishing a university degree.

RESULTS

Of the final cohort of 2 244 193 individuals (1 151 414 [51.3%] men) included in the analysis, 1 425 326 were assessed for finishing compulsory education (919 with PTSD), 2 001 944 for finishing upper secondary education (2013 with PTSD), and 1 796 407 and 1 356 741 for starting and finishing a university degree (2243 and 2254 with PTSD, respectively). Posttraumatic stress disorder was associated with lower odds of achieving each of the educational milestones during the study period, including 82% lower odds of finishing compulsory education (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.18; 95% CI, 0.15-0.20), 87% lower odds of finishing upper secondary education (aOR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.12-0.14), 68% lower odds of starting a university degree (aOR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.28-0.35), and 73% lower odds of finishing a university degree (aOR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.23-0.31). Estimates in the sibling comparison were attenuated (aOR range, 0.22-0.53) but remained statistically significant. Overall, excluding psychiatric comorbidities and adjusting for the successful completion of the previous milestone and general cognitive ability did not statistically significantly alter the magnitude of the associations.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Posttraumatic stress disorder was associated with educational impairment across the life span, and the associations were not entirely explained by shared familial factors, psychiatric comorbidity, or general cognitive ability. This finding highlights the importance of implementing early trauma-informed interventions in schools and universities to minimize the long-term socioeconomic consequences of academic failure in individuals with PTSD.

[Diagnosis and treatment of adjusment disorder in primary care]

Adjustment disorder (AD) corresponds to the combination of affective, cognitive and behavioral symptoms that appear after a stressful event. It is a frequent reason for consultation in primary care and is one of the most common diagnoses in suicide attempts attended in the emergency department. Its essential feature is that the symptoms must appear in direct relation to an event perceived as stressful, so it tends to be transitory if the event ceases or the patient adapts. The mainstay of treatment are psychosocial interventions, aimed at modifying the event or its consequences, supporting adaptation and optimizing resources to cope with the event. However, prescription of psychotropic drugs is favored in practice, when its use should be limited to symptomatic relief. This highlights the need to properly identify and treat it. This article presents the strategies for diagnosis and treatment of AD in primary care.

Contributions of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild TBI (mTBI) history to suicidality in the INTRuST consortium

OBJECTIVE

Mild TBI (mTBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are independent risk factors for suicidal behaviour (SB). Further, co-occurring mTBI and PTSD increase one's risk for negative health and psychiatric outcomes. However, little research has examined the role of comorbid mTBI and PTSD on suicide risk.

METHODS

The present study utilized data from the Injury and TRaUmatic STress (INTRuST) Consortium to examine the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and behaviours among four groups: 1) comorbid mTBI+PTSD, 2) PTSD only, 3) mTBI only, and 4) healthy controls.

RESULTS

Prevalence of lifetime SI, current SI, and lifetime SB for individuals with mTBI+PTSD was 40%, 25%, and 19%, respectively. Prevalence of lifetime SI, current SI, and lifetime SB for individuals with PTSD only was 29%, 11%, and 11%, respectively. Prevalence of lifetime SI, current SI, and lifetime SB for individuals with mTBI only was 14%, 1%, and 2%, respectively. Group comparisons showed that individuals with mTBI alone experienced elevated rates of lifetime SI compared to healthy controls. History of mTBI did not add significantly to risk for suicidal ideation and behaviour beyond what is accounted for by PTSD.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that PTSD seems to be driving risk for suicidal behaviour.

Incident psychiatric comorbidity following stress disorder diagnoses in Danish school-aged children: prospective population-based study

BACKGROUND

Prospective population-based studies of psychiatric comorbidity following trauma and severe stress exposure in children are limited.

AIMS

To examine incident psychiatric comorbidity following stress disorder diagnoses in Danish school-aged children using Danish national healthcare system registries.

METHOD

Children (6-15 years of age) with a severe stress or adjustment disorder (ICD-10) between 1995 and 2011 (n = 11 292) were followed prospectively for an average of 5.8 years. Incident depressive, anxiety and behavioural disorder diagnoses were examined relative to an age- and gender-matched comparison cohort (n = 56 460) using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Effect modification by gender was examined through stratified analyses.

RESULTS

All severe stress and adjustment disorder diagnoses were associated with increased rates for all incident outcome disorders relative to the comparison cohort. For instance, adjustment disorders were associated with higher rates of incident depressive (rate ratio RR = 6.8; 95% CI 6.0-7.7), anxiety (RR = 5.3; 95% CI 4.5-6.4), and behavioural disorders (RR = 7.9; 95% CI 6.6-9.3). Similarly, PTSD was also associated with higher rates of depressive (RR = 7.4; 95% CI 4.2-13), anxiety (RR = 7.1; 95% CI 3.5-14) and behavioural disorder (RR = 4.9; 95% CI 2.3-11) diagnoses. There was no evidence of gender-related differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Stress disorders varying in symptom constellation and severity are associated with a range of incident psychiatric disorders in children. Transdiagnostic assessments within a longitudinal framework are needed to characterise the course of post-trauma or severe stressor psychopathology.

A combined individual and group-based stabilization and skill training intervention versus treatment as usual for patients with long lasting posttraumatic reactions receiving outpatient treatment in specialized mental health care - a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Suffering linked to previous interpersonal trauma is common among patients in mental health care. Diagnostic labels may vary, but the clinical picture is often characterized by long-lasting and complex psychological and somatic symptoms, subjective distress and reduced quality of health and life. A substantial proportion of patients do not recover after individual treatment in ordinary specialized mental healthcare settings, despite the proven usefulness of individual trauma-specific treatments. The therapeutic factors that arise in group settings, such as normalization, shame reduction and corrective relational experiences, may be particularly useful for trauma survivors. However, evidence in support of group treatment for trauma survivors is scarce. This study aims to test whether combining a novel group intervention to individual treatment is superior to conventional individual out-patient treatment in an ordinary community mental health hospital.

METHODS

In a single-site, non-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT), the effect of a combined group-based stabilization and skill-training (SST) intervention added to individual treatment will be compared to conventional treatment (treatment as usual, TAU) alone. Participants (N = 160) with ongoing and long-lasting reactions related to known adverse life events from the past will be recruited among patients at general outpatient clinics in a community mental health centre at St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. Following baseline assessment and randomization, participants will complete follow-up measures at 4, 8, 13 and 19 months post-baseline. The primary outcome is personal recovery (The questionnaire about the process of recovery , QPR). Secondary outcomes include (1) self-reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress, general mental and somatic health symptoms, well-being, functional impairment and client satisfaction, (2) immunological and endocrine response measured in blood samples and (3) national registry data on occupational status, use of mental health services and pharmacological treatment. Additionally, mechanisms of change via posttraumatic cognitions will be examined.

DISCUSSION

The addition of a group-based intervention to individual treatment for trauma survivors might prove to be an efficient way to meet the need of long-lasting high-intensity treatment in a large group of patients in mental health care, thereby reducing their suffering and increasing their psychosocial functioning.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03887559. Registered on 25 March 2019.

Associations between adjustment disorder and hospital-based infections in the Danish population

OBJECTIVE

There is some evidence that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased risk of infections, and it is unknown whether adjustment disorder is as well. We assessed the association between adjustment disorder and subsequent infections, and assessed additive interaction with sex.

METHODS

The study population included a nationwide cohort of all Danish-born residents of Denmark diagnosed with adjustment disorder between 1995 and 2011, and an age- and sex-matched general population comparison cohort. We compared rates of infections requiring inpatient or outpatient hospitalization in the two cohorts. We fit Cox proportional hazards models to compute adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for the associations between adjustment disorder and 32 types of infections, and calculated interaction contrasts to assess interaction between adjustment disorder and sex.

RESULTS

Adjustment disorder was associated with increased rates of infections overall (n = 19,838 infections, aHR = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.8. 1.9), and increased rates of each individual infection type (aHRs for 30 infections ranged from 1.5 to 2.3), adjusting for baseline psychiatric and somatic comorbidities and marital status. For many infection types (e.g., skin infections, pneumonia), interaction contrasts indicated rate differences were greater among men than women, while for two (urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections), rate differences were greater for women.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings are consistent with studies examining the relationship between psychological stress and infections, and between PTSD and infections. They may be explained by a combination of the triggering of unhealthy behaviors as well as immune responses to stress.

Association Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mortality Among Responders and Civilians Following the September 11, 2001, Disaster

IMPORTANCE

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with increased mortality, primarily in studies of veterans. The World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry) provides a unique opportunity to study the association between PTSD and mortality among a population exposed to the World Trade Center attacks in New York, New York, on September 11, 2001 (9/11).

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether 9/11-related probable PTSD (PTSD) is associated with increased mortality risk, as well as whether this association differs when including repeated measures of PTSD over time vs a single baseline assessment.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A longitudinal cohort study of 63 666 Registry enrollees (29 270 responders and 34 396 civilians) was conducted from September 5, 2003, to December 31, 2016, with PTSD assessments at baseline (wave 1: 2003-2004) and 3 follow-up time points (wave 2: 2006-2007, wave 3: 2011-2012, wave 4: 2015-2016). Data analyses were conducted from December 4, 2018, to May 20, 2019.

EXPOSURES

Posttraumatic stress disorder was defined using the 17-item PTSD Checklist-Specific (PCL-S) self-report measure (score ≥50) at each wave (waves 1-4). Baseline PTSD was defined using wave 1 PCL-S, and time-varying PTSD was defined using the PCL-S assessments from all 4 waves.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Mortality outcomes were ascertained through National Death Index linkage from 2003 to 2016 and defined as all-cause, cardiovascular, and external-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Of 63 666 enrollees (38 883 men [61.1%]; mean [SD] age at 9/11, 40.4 [10.4] years), 6689 (10.8%) had PTSD at baseline (responders: 2702 [9.5%]; civilians: 3987 [12.0%]). Participants who were middle aged (2022 [12.5%]), female (3299 [13.8%]), non-Latino black (1295 [17.0%]), or Latino (1835 [22.2%]) were more likely to have PTSD. During follow-up, 2349 enrollees died (including 230 external-cause deaths and 487 cardiovascular deaths). Among all enrollees in time-varying analyses, PTSD was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and external-cause mortality, with adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) of greater magnitude compared with analyses examining baseline PTSD. Among responders, time-varying PTSD was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause (AHR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.58-2.32), cardiovascular (AHR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.25-3.04), and external-cause (AHR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.47-3.91) mortality. Among civilians, time-varying PTSD was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause (AHR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.28-1.85), cardiovascular (AHR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.15-2.58), and external-cause (AHR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.06-4.19) mortality.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The risk of mortality differed in examination of baseline PTSD vs repeated measures of PTSD over time, suggesting that longitudinal data should be used where possible. Comparable findings between responders and civilians suggest that 9/11-related PTSD is associated with an increased mortality risk.

Stress related disorders and risk of cardiovascular disease: population based, sibling controlled cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between stress related disorders and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease.

DESIGN

Population based, sibling controlled cohort study.

SETTING

Population of Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

136 637 patients in the Swedish National Patient Register with stress related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress reaction, adjustment disorder, and other stress reactions, from 1987 to 2013; 171 314 unaffected full siblings of these patients; and 1 366 370 matched unexposed people from the general population.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary diagnosis of incident cardiovascular disease—any or specific subtypes (ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, emboli/thrombosis, hypertensive diseases, heart failure, arrhythmia/conduction disorder, and fatal cardiovascular disease)—and 16 individual diagnoses of cardiovascular disease. Hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease were derived from Cox models, after controlling for multiple confounders.

RESULTS

During up to 27 years of follow-up, the crude incidence rate of any cardiovascular disease was 10.5, 8.4, and 6.9 per 1000 person years among exposed patients, their unaffected full siblings, and the matched unexposed individuals, respectively. In sibling based comparisons, the hazard ratio for any cardiovascular disease was 1.64 (95% confidence interval 1.45 to 1.84), with the highest subtype specific hazard ratio observed for heart failure (6.95, 1.88 to 25.68), during the first year after the diagnosis of any stress related disorder. Beyond one year, the hazard ratios became lower (overall 1.29, 1.24 to 1.34), ranging from 1.12 (1.04 to 1.21) for arrhythmia to 2.02 (1.45 to 2.82) for artery thrombosis/embolus. Stress related disorders were more strongly associated with early onset cardiovascular diseases (hazard ratio 1.40 (1.32 to 1.49) for attained age <50) than later onset ones (1.24 (1.18 to 1.30) for attained age ≥50; P for difference=0.002). Except for fatal cardiovascular diseases, these associations were not modified by the presence of psychiatric comorbidity. Analyses within the population matched cohort yielded similar results (hazard ratio 1.71 (1.59 to 1.83) for any cardiovascular disease during the first year of follow-up and 1.36 (1.33 to 1.39) thereafter).

CONCLUSION

Stress related disorders are robustly associated with multiple types of cardiovascular disease, independently of familial background, history of somatic/psychiatric diseases, and psychiatric comorbidity.

Incidence of mental health hospitalizations, treated self-harm, and emergency room visits following new anxiety disorder diagnoses in privately insured U.S. children

BACKGROUND

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illnesses in children and associated with high healthcare utilization. We aimed to estimate 2-year cumulative incidence of mental health-related hospitalizations, treated self-harm, and emergency room (ER) visits in children newly diagnosed with anxiety disorders and, for context, in children without anxiety disorders.

METHODS

We identified commercially insured treatment naïve children (3-17 years) with a new office-based anxiety disorder diagnosis (ICD-9-CM) from 2005-2014 in the MarketScan claims database. We followed children for up to 2 years after diagnosis for the first of each event: mental health-related hospitalization, inpatient, treated self-harm, and ER visits (any, anxiety-related, injury-related). Children without anxiety diagnoses were included as comparators, matched on age, sex, date, and region. We estimated cumulative incidence of each event using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

From 2005-2014, we identified 198,450 children with a new anxiety diagnosis. One-year after anxiety diagnosis, 2.0% of children had a mental health-related hospitalization, 0.08% inpatient, treated self-harm, 1.4% anxiety-related ER visit, and 20% any ER visit; incidence was highest in older children with baseline comorbid depression. One-year cumulative incidence of each event was lower in the comparison cohort without anxiety (e.g., mental health-related hospitalizations = 0.5%, treated self-harm = 0.01%, and ER visits = 13%).

CONCLUSIONS

Given the prevalence of anxiety disorders, 2-year incidence estimates translate to a significant number of children experiencing each event. Our findings offer caregivers, providers, and patients information to better understand the burden of anxiety disorders and can help anticipate healthcare utilization and inform efforts to prevent these serious events.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Death From Suicide

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the increasing public health concern about PTSD and suicide, and the population-based studies that have examined this association. Further, we discuss methodological issues that provide important context for the examination of this association.

RECENT FINDINGS

The majority of epidemiologic studies have shown that PTSD is associated with an increased risk of suicide; however, a notable minority of studies have documented a decreased risk of suicide among persons with PTSD. Methodological (e.g., sample size and misclassification) and etiologic issues (e.g., complicated psychiatric comorbidity) may explain the conflicting evidence. PTSD may be associated with an increased risk of suicide, but further research is needed. Increasing the use of appropriate methods (e.g., marginal structural models that can evaluate both confounding and effect modification, machine learning methods, quantification of systematic error) will strengthen the evidence base and advance our understanding.

Evaluating quality indicators of tertiary care hospitals for trauma care in Japan

Objective

This study examined the associations between trauma mortality and quality of care indicators currently used in Japan.

Design

This is a retrospective two-level discrete-time survival analysis. Quality indicators were derived from the 2012-2013 annual hospital survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Trauma mortality data were derived from the Japan Trauma Data Bank for the period of April 2012 to March 2013.

Setting

Tertiary care centers designated as emergency and critical care centers (ECCCs) in Japan.

Participants

The analysis included 12 378 patients aged ≥15 years with blunt trauma and an Injury Severity Score ≥9, registered to the data bank from 91 ECCCs.

Intervention

Quality of care indicators examined in the annual hospital survey.

Main Outcome Measures

Deaths within 30 days.

Results

Of the 12 378 patients, 660 (5%) died within 30 days. Higher indicator score was significantly associated with lower mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] for the second, third and fourth quartiles vs. lowest quartile 0.61, 0.55 and 0.52, respectively). Factors significantly associated with lower mortality risk were, higher patient volume (HR for the highest vs. lowest quartile, 0.74), director's qualification as specialist (HR 0.57) or consultant (HR 0.58), review of patient arrival process (HR 0.68), triage functions (HR 0.69), availability of psychiatrists (HR 0.75) and operating room being ready 24-h (HR 0.81).

Conclusions

The study identified certain indicators associated with trauma patient mortality. Further refinement of indicators is required to specifically identify what needs changing.

Prevalence and prognosis of stress disorders: a review of the epidemiologic literature

Given the ubiquity of traumatic events, it is not surprising that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - a common diagnosis following one of these experiences - is characterized as conferring a large burden for individuals and society. Although there is recognition of the importance of PTSD diagnoses throughout psychiatry, the literature on other diagnoses one may receive following a stressful or traumatic event is scant. This review summarizes the literature on stress disorders (classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition [ICD-10]), including acute stress reaction, PTSD, adjustment disorder and unspecified stress reactions. This review focuses on the literature related to common psychiatric and somatic consequences of these disorders. The prevalence and incidence of each disorder are described. A review of epidemiologic studies on comorbid mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and substance abuse, is included, as well as a review of epidemiologic studies on somatic outcomes, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disorders. Finally, the current literature on all-cause mortality and suicide following stress disorder diagnoses is reviewed. Stress disorders are a critical public health issue with potentially deleterious outcomes that have a significant impact on those living with these disorders, the health care system and society. It is only through an awareness of the impact of stress disorders that appropriate resources can be allocated to prevention and treatment. Future research should expand the work done to date beyond the examination of PTSD, so that the field may obtain a more complete picture of the impact all stress disorders have on the many people living with these diagnoses.

Ever at the ready for events that never happen

Stress, whether daily stress, work stress or traumatic stress, is unhealthy. This lecture covers three recent theoretical approaches in explaining the mechanisms underlying the influence of psychological stress on somatic health. It is argued that stress research should focus less on stressors themselves and put more emphasis on prolonged stress responses. Three mechanisms are identified that cause this unhealthy prolonged stress response: first, the partly-proven mechanism of perseverative cognition; second, the mechanism of unconscious stress, which is currently being explored; and third, the notion of the stress response being a default response that is inhibited only when safety is perceived. All three mechanisms are deeply rooted in millions of years of our evolution. Although the dangers of the past have virtually disappeared, many of us remain ever at the ready for events that never happen.