Variceal haemorrhage and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is thought to be relatively common following extremely distressing life-threatening events. Patients with liver cirrhosis can experience severe brisk variceal haemorrhage during which they vomit litres of blood and may exsanguinate. We predicted that a significant proportion of survivors would suffer from PTSD.



PTSD assessment of 30 patients who had a haematemesis of more than four units of blood secondary to variceal bleeding and were fully conscious at the time of the bleed.



Structured Clinical Diagnostic Interview (SCID-DSM-III-R) and self-report measures.



Most found the experience distressing, but only 1 out of 30 patients fulfilled DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria for PTSD.



PTSD in a sample of patients who survived life-threatening variceal haemorrhage is much rarer than might reasonably have been anticipated. Possible reasons for this low prevalence of PTSD are discussed.
O'Carroll
R E
RE
Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, UK. ronan@st-andrews.ac.uk
Masterton
G
G
Gooday
R
R
Cossar
J A
JA
Couston
M C
MC
Hayes
P C
PC
D001293:Attitude to Death; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006113:United Kingdom