title: Prediction of psychiatric morbidity in severely injured accident victims at one-year follow-up.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptoms of depression and anxiety in severely injured accident victims 1 yr posttrauma and to predict psychiatric morbidity by means of variables assessed shortly after the accident. The sample consisted of 106 consecutive patients with accidental injuries (mean Injury Severity Score = 21.9, mean Glasgow Coma Scale score = 14.4) admitted to the intensive care unit of a University Hospital. Patients with severe head injuries, suicide attempters, and victims of physical assault were excluded. At 1-yr follow-up, two patients (1.9%) had PTSD, and 13 (12.3%) had subsyndromal PTSD. Eighteen patients (17%) had clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety, and nine (8.5%) were depressed. Overall, 27 patients (25.5%) showed some form of psychiatric morbidity (full or subsyndromal PTSD and/or anxiety and/or depression). Logistic regression analysis, using 1-yr psychiatric morbidity status as the dependent variable, allowed correct classification of 83.8% of patients 12 mo postaccident (specificity 91.8%, sensitivity 61.5%). Biographical risk factors and a sense of death threat contributed significantly to the predictive model. We conclude that a substantial proportion of severely injured accident victims develop some form of psychiatric morbidity that can be predicted to some degree by mainly psychosocial variables.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. uschnyd@psyp.unizh.ch
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schnyder
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moergeli
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Trentz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klaghofer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buddeberg
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008016:Life Change Events; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires