PTSD Checklist Scores Research Articles

Effect of Obstructive Sleep Disorder Treatment on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: A Literature Review.

To explore whether continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence among adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects the PTSD Checklist (PCL), a validated tool that measures severity of PTSD symptoms. Studies focusing on PTSD and OSA were searched in PubMed and CINAHL databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, decreasing the article yield to nine. All articles chosen focused on the adult population and were conducted in North America. The literature review yielded eight observational cohort studies and one descriptive study. Seven studies were conducted with Veterans and all studies used the PCL tool. Three themes were identified: (a) Trauma and OSA, (b) OSA and PTSD Symptoms, and (c) CPAP Therapy and PTSD Symptoms. An area of further study is assessing how CPAP adherence might affect improvement in PTSD symptoms and how adherence can be improved. OSA is correlated with more severe PTSD symptoms, but CPAP use is associated with improvement in PTSD symptoms. The literature reviewed found PCL scores improved up to 10 points within 3 months of CPAP use. These findings highlight the importance of collaboration between mental health and sleep medicine professionals and opportunity for further study in this area. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Type 2 Diabetes Outcomes in Veterans

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reduction is linked with lower risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), but little is known about the association between PTSD and comorbid T2D outcomes. Whether PTSD is a modifiable risk factor for adverse T2D outcomes is unknown. To determine whether patients with PTSD who improved and no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD had a lower risk of adverse T2D outcomes compared with patients with persistent PTSD. This retrospective cohort study used deidentified data from US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) historical medical records (from October 1, 2011, to September 30, 2022) to create a cohort of patients aged 18 to 80 years with comorbid PTSD and T2D. Data analysis was performed from March 1 to June 1, 2024. Diagnoses of PTSD and T2D. The main outcomes were insulin initiation, poor glycemic control, any microvascular complication, and all-cause mortality. Improvement of PTSD was defined as no longer meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria, per a PTSD Checklist score of less than 33. Entropy balancing controlled for confounding. Survival and competing risk models estimated the association between meeting PTSD criteria and T2D outcomes. Subgroup analyses examined variation by age, sex, race, PTSD severity, and comorbid depression status. The study cohort included 10 002 veterans. More than half of patients (65.3%) were aged older than 50 years and most (87.2%) were men. Patients identified as Black (31.6%), White (62.7%), or other race (5.7%). Before controlling for confounding with entropy balancing, patients who no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria had similar incidence rates for starting insulin (22.4 vs 24.4 per 1000 person-years), poor glycemic control (137.1 vs 133.7 per 1000 person-years), any microvascular complication (108.4 vs 104.8 per 1000 person-years), and all-cause mortality (11.2 vs 11.0 per 1000 person-years) compared with patients with persistent PTSD. After controlling for confounding, no longer meeting PTSD criteria was associated with a lower risk of microvascular complications (hazard ratio [HR], 0.92 [95% CI, 0.85-0.99]). Among veterans aged 18 to 49 years, no longer meeting PTSD criteria was associated with a lower risk of insulin initiation (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.53-0.88]) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.39 [95% CI, 0.19-0.83]). Among patients without depression, no longer meeting PTSD criteria was associated with a lower risk of insulin initiation (HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.55-0.97]). The findings of this cohort study of patients with comorbid PTSD and T2D suggest that PTSD is a modifiable risk factor associated with a modest reduction in microvascular complications. Further research is needed to determine whether findings are similar in non-VHA health care settings.

Abstract 120: CCR5 Polymorphism - A Possible Protective Factor for Post-Stroke PTSD Symptoms

Background: Current data suggest 25-30% of stroke survivors will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. This common and disabling disorder is thought to be caused by exposure to a traumatic, life-threatening event. It is unrelated to stroke severity and is one of the barriers to successful recovery from the stroke. We have recently reported on the naturally occurring loss-of-function mutation (LOFM) in the C-C Chemokine receptor 5 gene (CCR5-Δ32) as a protective factor in post-stroke recovery and depression. We sought to examine whether it also prevents the development of PTSD symptoms after stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods: Participants were survivors of first-ever mild-moderate ischemic stroke or TIA from the TABASCO prospective cohort study, who underwent a 3T MRI, and were examined by a multi-professional team 6, 12, and 24 months after the event, using direct interviews, depression scales, neurological, neuropsychological, and functional evaluations. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist (PCL). CCR5-Δ32 status and PTSD Checklist data were available for 432 patients. Results: Forty-eight participants (11%) developed probable PTSD (PCL ≥44) during the first year after the stroke/TIA. CCR5 -Δ32 carriers presented fewer PTSD symptoms (lower PCL scores) 6, 12, and 24 months after the index event, compared with non-carriers (p=0.002, p<0.001, p=0.011, respectively). The association remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, education, depression or administration of anti-depressants during the follow-up period, ethnicity, and new infarct on MRI. Compared to baseline, CCR5 -Δ32 non-carriers tended to remain stable or develop worse PTSD symptoms over time, while CCR5 -Δ32 carriers tended to improve. Conclusions: We report that carriers of the CCR5 -Δ32 allele had a lower tendency to develop PTSD symptoms post-stroke. These findings might have clinical significance in stroke recovery. They also suggest a mechanism-based treatment target for post-stroke depression. Drugs mimicking this LOFM exist and could offer a novel treatment for this serious and underdiagnosed complication of stroke.

Prospective Bidirectional Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Sleep disturbance is a "hallmark" symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Poor sleep (including short sleep) after combat-related trauma can also predict subsequent PTSD. Less is known about the association between sleep duration and PTSD symptoms when PTSD is induced by acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We examined the bidirectional relationship between sleep duration and PTSD symptoms over the year after hospital evaluation for ACS. Participants were enrolled in this observational study after emergency department evaluation for ACS. Sleep duration ("During the past month, how many hours of actual sleep did you get at night?") and cardiac event or hospitalization-induced PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist) were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months after hospital discharge. Cross-lagged path analysis was used to model the effects of sleep duration and PTSD symptoms on each other. Covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, cardiac severity, baseline depression symptoms, and early acute stress disorder symptoms. The sample included 1145 participants; 16% screened positive for probable PTSD (PTSD Checklist score ≥33). Mean sleep duration across time points was 6.1 hours. Higher PTSD symptoms predicted shorter sleep duration at the next time point (i.e., 1-6 and 6-12 months; B = -0.14 hours/10-point difference, SE = 0.03, p < .001). Shorter sleep duration was associated with higher PTSD symptoms at the next time point (B = -0.25 points/hour, SE = 0.12, p = .04). Short sleep duration and PTSD symptoms are mutually reinforcing across the first year after ACS evaluation. Findings suggest that sleep, PTSD symptoms, and their relationship should be considered in the post-ACS period.

Association of 5-HTTLPR With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in US Service Members

Objective Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that manifests after exposure to a stressful traumatic event, such as combat experience. Accumulated evidence indicates an important genetic influence in the development of PTSD. The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene has been identified as a candidate for PTSD and a polymorphism of the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) is associated with the disorder in the general population. However, whether it is associated with PTSD in active military service members has not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between 5-HTTLPR and PTSD in service members. Methods Leucocyte genomic DNA was extracted from service members, including those with PTSD (n = 134) or without PTSD (n = 639). The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was detected by means of 2 stages of TaqMan fluorescent PCR assay. PTSD symptoms and symptom severity were assessed using the PTSD Checklist (PCL), a 17-item, DSM-based, self-report questionnaire with well-established validity and reliability. PTSD was determined based on endorsement of DSM-IV criteria and a PCL total score ≥ 44. Results Significant differences in biallele distribution were observed between PTSD and controls (χ2 = 7.497, P = .024). The frequency of SS, SL, and LL genotypes in the PTSD group was 0.17, 0.56, and 0.27 respectively, compared to the frequencies of 0.27, 0.43, and 0.29 in non-PTSD controls. Carriers of the L allele had higher scores for reexperiencing and arousal symptoms on the PCL, compared to SS homozygote carriers (P < .05). The triallele genotypes showed no significant differences in distribution between the PTSD and control groups (P > .05) and no relationship with PTSD symptom severity. The interaction of triallelic genotypes of 5-HTTLPR and traumatic life events was associated with re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal (P < .05 for all). Multiple regression analysis revealed significant correlations between both biallelic and triallelic genotypes of 5-HTTLPR, the interaction of the number of stressful lifetime events, and 5-HTTLPR genotypes with PCL total score (P < .001). Conclusion Our findings suggested that 5-HTT might play a minor role in PTSD, and the interaction between 5-HTTLPR and the environment had effects on PCL score, complementing and emphasizing 5-HTT for PTSD, especially in the military population.

Strength in the Face of Adversity: Perseverance and Resilience of Racialized Staff in the Homeless Sector During COVID-19

The emotional toll that individuals experience while working in the homeless sector ranges from traumatic stress and burnout to depression and decreased job satisfaction. Recent evidence highlights significant levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms among homeless service providers in some regions of Canada, which are higher than those reported prior to the Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study seeks to examine the impact of gender and ethnicity on work-related stressors among frontline staff in the homeless sector. Utilizing data from a survey on mental health stressors and needs completed by a robust sample of 566 frontline workers in the homeless sector across Canada, we investigate traumatic stress, burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compassion satisfaction, and resilience between three key staff groups including Black, non-Black racialized, and Caucasian. Quantitative analysis revealed key themes related to 1) workplace traumatic experiences reported, 2) lived experience of homelessness, 3) lifetime traumatic events, 4) rates of traumatic stress symptoms, and 5) PTSD scores. Overall, Black staff demonstrated significantly fewer traumatic symptoms and lower burnout, and fewer on-the-job traumatic events, while non-Black racialized persons report slightly higher traumatic stress, burnout, and traumatic events, including traumatic experiences reported on the job. Non-Black racialized staff also report the highest PTSD Checklist (PCL) scores, indicating qualification for PTSD diagnosis. Caucasian staff reported the highest levels of lifetime traumatic events, traumatic events on the job, and burnout. Overall, racialized staff demonstrated lower levels of traumatic stress, and greater overall perseverance and resilience compared to their Caucasian counterparts. While areas such as coping practices and race-specific differences require additional research, the implications of this study can be used to inform institutional and organizational change and address mental health needs for racialized staff within homeless-serving organizations.

Efficacy of Right-Sided Cervical Sympathetic Block in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Australian Cohorts: A Retrospective Analysis

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent and debilitating condition in Australia. Success rates for current therapies may be delayed and inconsistent. This has led clinicians to explore other options, with cervical sympathetic blockade (CSB) being one of potential promise due to its high efficacy and rapid therapeutic onset. The original paper describing CSB was published in the United States of America (USA), and this was followed by multiple reports of successful PTSD treatment using stellate ganglion block (SGB). To date, no report of CSB utility in Australia has entered the medical literature. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of CSB as a treatment option for patients diagnosed with PTSD in multiple Australian cohorts. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: An established anesthesia pain clinic in 4 Australian cities (Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne). Methods: The total cohort included 99 consecutive cases of patients diagnosed with PTSD and treated with right-sided CSB, performed by eight providers across 4 cities (Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne). The primary outcome measurement was the PTSD Checklist Score version DSM-5 (PCL-5), which established the initial diagnosis of PTSD. PCL-5 data collection commenced in July 2021 and data regarding trauma specifications was collected beginning in July 2022. Patient demographic and clinical information collected included age, gender, and type of trauma experienced. Results: After the exclusion of cases due to missing data points, 99 patients were included in the final statistical analysis, having completed PCL-5 pre and post-CSB, between 7 and 30-days post-intervention. The patient population included civilian men (n=49) and civilian women (n=50). We identified 22 types of self-reported trauma leading to PTSD. The average decrease in PCL scores for men and women was 23.69 and 21.64, respectively. Statistically significant improvements in PTSD symptoms were noted across varying sources of causative trauma type and gender. Limitations: Limitations include the limited scope of observation giving exclusive focus on pre-and post-PCL data, the limited duration of observation, the self-reported nature of the patient-provided data, and the provision of treatment by eight physicians across multiple locations. Conclusion: CSB seems to be an effective treatment for PTSD symptoms irrespective of gender, trauma type, PTSD-related drug use, suicide attempt, or age, in Australian cohorts.

Association of age of adverse childhood experiences with thalamic volumes and post-traumatic stress disorder in adulthood.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to brain development and mental disorders, however, the impact of the age of occurrence of ACEs on thalamic volume and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after adult trauma remains unclear. This study assessed associations between ACEs at different ages to thalamic volumes and PTSD development following acute adult trauma. Seventy-nine adult trauma survivors were recruited immediately after trauma. Within 2 weeks of the traumatic event, participants completed the PTSD Checklist (PCL) to assess PTSD symptoms, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Childhood Age Range Stress Scale (CARSS) to evaluate ACEs and perceived stress level at preschool (<6 years old) and school (6-13 years old) ages, and structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) to measure thalamic volumes. Participants were divided into three groups: those who experienced no childhood trauma or stress (non-ACEs), those who experienced childhood trauma and stress onset at preschool ages (Presch-ACEs), and those who experienced childhood trauma and stress onset at school ages (Sch-ACEs). At 3 months, participants underwent PTSD symptom evaluation using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Adult trauma survivors in the Presch-ACEs group had higher CTQ and CAPS scores. In addition, survivors in the Presch-ACEs group had smaller thalamic volume compared to survivors in the non-ACEs and Sch-ACEs groups. Furthermore, smaller thalamic volume moderated a positive association between post-trauma 2-week PCL and subsequent 3-month CAPS scores. Earlier occurrence of ACEs was associated with smaller thalamic volume, which appears to moderate a positive association between early posttraumatic stress symptom severity and PTSD development after adult trauma. This raises the possibility that early occurrence of ACEs may impact thalamic structure, specifically a reduction in thalamic volume, and that smaller thalamic volume may contribute to susceptibility to PTSD development after adult trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder among individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury in Nepal: a cross-sectional study.

Cross-sectional study OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) and to examine the relationships between demographic and clinical characteristics, and PTSD. Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center (SIRC) and Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital (DH, KUH), Kavrepalanchowk, Nepal. Individuals above 18 years of age with TSCI of at least one month from trauma and admitted to SIRC and DH, KUH from June 2019 to May 2021 were included. The specific stress version of the PostTraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL), was utilized. To classify the neurological status of TSCI individuals, International Standard for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) was used. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis between independent variables and normalized PCL score was done to evaluate the predictors of PTSD. Among 163 patients, the overall prevalence of PTSD was 27%, and the mean PCL score was 36 ± 13.9. Factors predictive of PTSD included gender, family type, ethnicity, and literacy rate. No significant association was found between the clinical characteristics and PTSD. PTSD appears to be considerably prevalent among individuals with TSCI in Nepal. Females, individuals from nuclear families, individuals with lower literacy, and individuals from lower caste are significantly vulnerable to developing PTSD. However, clinical characteristics do not appear to be influential in the development of PTSD.

Subjective memory complaints are associated with decreased cortical thickness in Veterans with histories of mild traumatic brain injury

Objective: Memory problems are frequently endorsed in Veterans following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but subjective complaints are poorly associated with objective memory performance. Few studies have examined associations between subjective memory complaints and brain morphometry. We investigated whether self-reported memory problems were associated with objective memory performance and cortical thickness in Veterans with a history of mTBI. Methods: 40 Veterans with a history of remote mTBI and 29 Veterans with no history of TBI completed the Prospective-Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), PTSD Checklist (PCL), California Verbal Learning Test-2nd edition (CVLT-II), and 3 T T1 structural magnetic resonance imaging. Cortical thickness was estimated in 14 a priori frontal and temporal regions. Multiple regressions adjusting for age and PCL scores examined associations between PRMQ, CVLT-II scores, and cortical thickness within each Veteran group. Results: Greater subjective memory complaints on the PRMQ were associated with lower cortical thickness in the right middle temporal gyrus (β = 0.64, q = .004), right inferior temporal gyrus (β = 0.56, q = .014), right rostral middle frontal gyrus (β = 0.45, q = .046), and right rostral anterior cingulate gyrus (β = 0.58, q = .014) in the mTBI group but not the control group (q’s > .05). These associations remained significant after adjusting for CVLT-II learning. CVLT-II performance was not associated with PRMQ score or cortical thickness in either group. Conclusions: Subjective memory complaints were associated with lower cortical thickness in right frontal and temporal regions, but not with objective memory performance, in Veterans with histories of mTBI. Subjective complaints post-mTBI may indicate underlying brain morphometry independently of objective cognitive testing.

Does Blast Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Have an Impact on PTSD Severity? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Blast mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a unique injury in the military population and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is shown to be linked with it. The main purpose of the systematic review was to understand the impact of blast mTBI on PTSD symptom severity. We systematically searched Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase (Ovid), APAPsycINFO (Ovid) and Medline (R) and In-Process, In-Data-Review and Other Non-Indexed Citations (Ovid). Data extraction and quality assessment was completed using the AXIS tool. Statistical analysis was undertaken to determine differences between blast mTBI and the control group (no blast and no TBI in military personnel) and a meta-analysis using the random effects model was used to calculate between-study heterogeneity and variance through I2 and Tau2, respectively. Additionally, the likelihood of PTSD, analysed using the average PTSD Checklist (PCL) score, was also determined based. Statistically higher PCL scores were found in the blast mTBI group compared to control groups, but high heterogeneity was found between the studies (p &lt; 0.001, I2 = 84%, Tau2 = 0.44). Furthermore, all studies reported that blast mTBI had probable PTSD, but this was not the case for the control group. Blast mTBI appears to impact on PTSD symptom severity and the likelihood of developing PTSD, which healthcare professionals need to be aware of. The high heterogeneity present in the studies means that caution must be exercised when interpreting the data from this study. However, future studies require more well-defined, high-quality studies to answer the question of how blast mTBI affects PTSD symptom severity.

Efficacy of traumatic memory reactivation with or without propranolol in PTSD with high dissociative experiences

ABSTRACT Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dissociative symptoms is now a full-fledged subtype of this disorder. The dissociative subtype is associated with a greater number of psychiatric comorbidities. To date, the impact of dissociation on the efficacy of PTSD treatment remains unclear. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a traumatic memory reactivation procedure with the administration of propranolol or a placebo once a week for six consecutive weeks in reducing PTSD and MDE symptoms between PTSD subjects with or without high dissociative symptoms. Method: For that, we conducted a randomized clinical trial in 66 adults diagnosed with longstanding PTSD and measured the SCID PTSD module, the PTSD Checklist (PCL-S), Beck’s Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Results: Patients with and without high dissociative experience had significant improvement in their PCL-S scores over the 6 treatment sessions, and PCL-S scores continued to decline in all patients during the post-treatment period. However, there was no correlation between the presence/absence of high dissociative experiences and no specific effect of propranolol treatment. We found exactly the same results for MDE symptoms. Interestingly, patients with high dissociative experiences before treatment exhibited very significant improvement in their DES scores after the 6 treatment sessions, and patients maintained this improvement 3 months post-treatment. Conclusions: The traumatic memory reactivation procedure is an effective way to treat dissociative symptoms in patients with PTSD, and improvement of these dissociative symptoms was associated with a decrease in both PTSD and depression severity.

Predictors of undocumented PTSD in persons using public mental health services

Individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) have greater trauma exposure and are at increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, PTSD is rarely documented in their clinical records. This study investigated the predictors of PTSD documentation among 776 clients with SMI receiving public mental health services, who had probable PTSD as indicated by a PTSD Checklist score of at least 45. Only 5.3% of clients had PTSD listed as a primary diagnosis, and 8.4% had PTSD as a secondary diagnosis, with a total 13.7% documentation rate. PTSD documentation rate was highest for clients with major depression (18.8%) compared to those with schizophrenia (4.1%) or bipolar disorder (6.3%). Factors that predicted a lower likelihood of having a chart diagnosis of PTSD included being diagnosed with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder. Factors that predicted a higher likelihood of having a chart diagnosis of PTSD included being of non-white race, being female, and experiencing eight or more types of traumatic events. Findings highlight the need for PTSD screening and trauma informed care for clients with SMI receiving public mental health services.

Development and validation of a risk prediction model for post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in patients with acute myocardial infarction in China.

At present, there are many influencing factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but based on this, there are few studies on the risk prediction model of PTSD symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors of PTSD symptoms in patients with AMI and to construct a risk prediction model. From April 2021 to March 2022, 287 patients were enrolled from a hospital in Shandong Province, China. According to the PTSD Checklist (PCL-C) scores 30 days after discharge, the participants were divided into a PTSD symptoms group (92 cases) and a non-PTSD symptoms group (195 cases). The demographic data, disease factors, treatment factors, and laboratory examination indicators were compared between the 2 groups; independent risk factors were screened out, and a risk prediction model was constructed by logistic regression. Area under the curve (AUC) was used as the internal verification of the model prediction. From April 2022 to June 2022, 72 patients with AMI in a hospital in Shandong Province were selected. PCL-C data were collected 30 days after discharge, and finally external validation of the model was performed. Five factors, including gender [odds ratio (OR) =3.325], diabetes history (OR =2.292), creatine kinase isozyme (OR =1.046), insomnia score (OR =2.045), and fear of disease progression score (OR =1.126) were included to construct the risk prediction model. According to the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P=0.785. The AUC was 0.910, the maximum value of Youden index was 0.751, the sensitivity was 0.870, the specificity was 0.881, and the accuracy rate of practical application was 67.64%. The risk prediction model of PTSD symptoms in patients with AMI established in this study is consistent and effective. It can provide a reference for clinical assessment of PTSD symptoms risk in patients with AMI.

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

There is mixed evidence regarding the direction of a potential association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide mortality. This is the first population-based study to account for both PTSD diagnosis and PTSD symptom severity simultaneously in the examination of suicide mortality. 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. 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). Ameliorating PTSD can reduce risk of suicide mortality, but patients must achieve symptomatic remission to attain this benefit.

Preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of concurrent exposure and response prevention for OCD and prolonged exposure for PTSD

Several case studies describe utilizing combined approaches to treating individuals with co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet empirical support for concurrent approaches is lacking. Further, no study has described a combined exposure and response prevention (ERP) and prolonged exposure (PE) approach despite theoretical and implementation similarities. Given the noted challenges in treating co-occurring OCD and PTSD, particularly in cases of dynamic comorbidity, the current study sought to provide empirical support for concurrent ERP + PE in a small sample of individuals diagnosed with co-occurring OCD and PTSD. Retrospective data was analyzed from eight patients (87.5% dynamic comorbidity) who underwent concurrent ERP + PE in a behavioral health hospital system. Effectiveness of ERP + PE was comparable to previous research on the separate treatments; patients experienced an average reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale-Self-Report scores of 11.75 and PTSD Checklist scores of 22.50, effect sizes of 1.65 and 1.44, respectively. Broadly, these preliminary findings suggest that a concurrent approach to treating co-occurring OCD and PTSD is effective even with dynamic comorbidity and that concurrent ERP + PE, specifically, yields promising treatment outcomes. The current study provides a foundation for future exploration of other treatment types and approaches. Replication of findings in larger, prospective samples is needed.

PTSD symptom improvement and smoking cessation among a sample of veterans.

Context: Poor health behaviors are common in persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptom improvement has been followed by better health behaviors such as medication adherence and use of nutrition, weight loss, and substance abuse treatment programs. Whether PTSD improvement is associated with smoking cessation is uncertain. Objective: To determine if patients with, compared to without, clinically meaningful improvement (≥20 points vs. <20 points) in PTSD Checklist (PCL) scores are more likely to stop smoking. Study Design: Retrospective cohort using entropy balancing to control for confounding in Cox proportional hazard models overall and stratified by depression and alcohol abuse/dependence. Dataset: Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) medical record data from 2008-2015. Population studied: Patients aged 18-70 years with PTSD who had ≥ 1 visit to PTSD specialty care with a PCL score ≥50, at least one PCL score from ≥8 weeks to 12 months following first PCL≥50 ('exposure year'), and persistent smokers in the exposure year (n=449). Index date is the end of the exposure year. Intervention/Instrument: Change from first to last PCL score in exposure year classified as clinically meaningful vs. less than clinically meaningful improvement (≥20 point decrease vs. <20 point decrease). Outcome measures. Time to smoking cessation as documented in VHA administrative medical record data in the 2-years after index. Follow-up time was measured as months from index to either smoking cessation or censoring. Results: Overall, patients were 39.4 (±12.9) years old, 71.5% white, 86.6% male, 19.8% had a clinically meaningful PCL score decrease, and 32.7% quit smoking in the 2-years after index. After entropy weighting, PCL decrease ≥ 20 vs. < 20 was associated with a 57% increased likelihood of smoking cessation (HR=1.57; 95% CI=1.04-2.36). The relationship of PTSD improvement with smoking cessation was similar in patients with vs. without depression and with and without alcohol abuse/dependence. Among patients who quit smoking, about half remained non-smokers in the 12-months after initial quit date. Conclusions: A clinically meaningful reduction in PTSD symptoms was associated with smoking cessation in the 2-years after PTSD improvement. Not all patients with PTSD have access to PTSD treatment modalities that integrate smoking cessation therapy; however, PTSD treatment alone may improve patient self-efficacy and enable smoking cessation.

Patient and Clinical Factors Associated With Response to Medications for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Objective: Fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, topiramate, and venlafaxine have previously shown efficacy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in randomized clinical trials. Two prior studies using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical records data show these medications are also effective in routine practice. Using an expanded retrospective cohort, we assessed the possibility of differential patterns of response based on patient and clinical factors.Methods: We identified 6,839 VA outpatients with clinical diagnoses of PTSD between October 1999 and September 2019 who initiated one of the medications and met pre-specified criteria for treatment duration and dose, combined with baseline and endpoint PTSD checklist (PCL) measurements. We compared 12-week changes in PCL score within clinical subgroups defined by sex, race and ethnicity, and military exposures, as well as comorbidities. Comorbidities were identified using International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes and grouped according to major diagnostic classifications in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (eg, Psychotic Disorders, Depressive Disorders). We used a propensity score weighting approach to balance covariates among medication arms within each clinical subgroup. In our exploratory analyses using unweighted data for the overall cohort, we built penalized logistic regression models to identify covariates that predicted meaningful improvement.Results: There were no significant differences between medications in our weighted subgroup analyses. In unweighted exploratory analyses, higher baseline PCL scores and concurrent receipt of evidence-based psychotherapy predicted meaningful improvement, while high levels of disability predicted not realizing meaningful improvement.Conclusions: In the largest real-world study of medications for PTSD to date, we did not observe a pattern of differential response among clinical subgroups. All patients taking medications for PTSD, especially those with the highest levels of disability, should consider combined treatment with evidence-based psychotherapy.

Cognitive and Psychological Sequelae of COVID-19: Age Differences in Facing the Pandemic.

Literature about the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is currently focusing on the potential cognitive and neuropsychiatric sequelae observed in individuals receiving intensive care unit (ICU) treatments. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the differences in cognitive and psychological sequelae of COVID-19 between younger and older adults, regardless of being admitted to the ICU or not. The study involved 299 recovered individuals (from 18 to 90 years old), who underwent a comprehensive cognitive and psychological assessment. Linear regression models were conducted separately for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) scores to investigate the effect of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics on them. Separate linear regression models were then applied sorting participants by age: younger adults (<65 years) and older adults (≥65 years). In the whole sample, PCL scores were predicted by the intensity of care received, by being intubated, and by the persistence of cough after 1 month after hospitalization. Only age had instead an effect on cognition. In younger adults, PCL scores were predicted by the presence of neurological symptoms, by the intensity of care received, and by being intubated; MoCA scores were only predicted by the intensity of care received. No significant associations were found in older adults. Psychological negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly affect individuals under 65 years old, who also subjectively report cognitive sequelae associated with the infection. Individuals over 65 years old, instead, seem to be free from psychological and cognitive difficulties due to COVID-19.

Negative Childbirth Experience and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - A Study Among Postpartum Women in South India.

Purpose: Negative childbirth experience has been associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in the postpartum period with a significant impact on the mother as well as the infant.Methods: The current study aimed at studying the association of negative child birth experience with PTSD and depressive symptoms among primiparous mothers within 6 weeks of child birth. The Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), PTSD checklist (PCL), and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale (EPDS) were used to assess negative childbirth experience, symptoms of PTSD, and depression respectively.Results: Of the 95 women in the study, fifty women (52.6%) had a score below the median of CEQ score (score of 72) indicating a negative childbirth experience. Lower Scores on CEQ indicating negative childbirth experience correlated with PTSD scores on the PCL (r = −0.560, p = 0.001) and depression scores on the EPDS (r = −0.536, p = 0.001). Of the sample of 95 women, 7.36% (N = 7) met the criteria for probable PTSD and 3.16% (N = 3) met criteria for partial PTSD. Twelve women (12.6%) had EPDS scores above 13 indicating probable clinical depression. Median CEQ scores were lower among the women who had PTSD or partial PTSD (N = 10) and among the women who had probable depression (N = 12) than those who did not. Childbirth experience emerged as the only predictor of PTSD on logistic regression (p = 0.03) (95% CI 1.17–79.61).Conclusions: Negative childbirth experiences are common and appear to be associated with depressive and PTSD symptoms. These findings emphasize the need to provide good intrapartum care including respectful maternity care for a positive childbirth experience.