@article{ref1,
title="Post-traumatic stress disorder after weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation",
journal="Intensive care medicine",
year="2010",
author="Jubran, Amal and Lawm, Gerald and Duffner, Lisa A. and Collins, Eileen G. and Lanuza, Dorothy M. and Hoffman, Leslie A. and Tobin, Martin J.",
volume="36",
number="12",
pages="2030-2037",
abstract="PURPOSE Weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation may be associated with mental discomfort. It is not known whether such discomfort is linked with the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Accordingly, we investigated whether PTSD occurs in patients after weaning from prolonged ventilation. We also determined whether administering a questionnaire would identify patients at risk for developing PTSD. <br><br>METHODS A prospective longitudinal study of patients transferred to a long-term acute-care hospital for weaning from prolonged ventilation was undertaken: 72 patients were studied 1 week after weaning, and 41 patients were studied again 3 months later. An experienced psychologist conducted a structured clinical interview 3 months after weaning to establish a diagnosis of PTSD. To assess for the presence of PTSD-related symptoms, the post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS-10) questionnaire was administered 1 week after weaning and 3 months later. <br><br>RESULTS The psychologist diagnosed PTSD in 12% of patients 3 months after ventilator weaning. Patients who developed PTSD were more likely to have a previous history of psychiatric disorders (P < 0.02). A PTSS-10 score >20 one week after weaning reliably identified patients who were diagnosed with PTSD 3 months later: sensitivity 1.0; specificity 0.76; area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.91. <br><br>CONCLUSION PTSD was diagnosed in 12% of patients who were weaned from prolonged ventilation. A PTSS-10 score >20 one week after weaning identified patients diagnosed with PTSD 3 months later. This finding suggests that a simple questionnaire administered before hospital discharge can identify patients at risk for developing PTSD.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0342-4642",
doi="10.1007/s00134-010-1972-8",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00134-010-1972-8"
}