title: The clinical picture of acute combat stress reaction among Israeli soldiers in the 1982 Lebanon War.
abstract: This study examined 100 randomly selected medical charts of Israeli psychiatric casualties of the 1982 Lebanon War in order to determine the clinical picture of combat stress reaction as recorded by clinicians on the battlefield. We found nine categories of symptoms. The most prevalent clinical picture (48% of cases) was polymorphic, followed by anxiety (13%) and labile states (11%). Only 41% of cases were mono-symptomatic and stable. Examination of the polymorphic and labile clinical pictures revealed that the most prominent symptomatology was anxiety and depression. In the labile states, the most widespread beginning symptom was anxiety and the most prevalent end state was found to be depression. These findings are discussed in light of reports from other wars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health Medical Corps., Israel Defense Forces.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yitzhaki
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology