Posttraumatic stress, problem drinking, and functional outcomes after injury.
OBJECTIVE
Patients undergoing trauma surgery for injury who have subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or problem drinking will demonstrate significant impairments in functional outcomes compared with patients without these disorders.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Level I academic trauma center.


METHODS
One hundred one randomly selected survivors of intentional and unintentional injuries were interviewed while hospitalized and again 1 year later. The investigation achieved a 73% 1-year follow-up rate.


METHODS
Posttraumatic stress disorder was assessed with the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and problem drinking was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Functional status was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.


RESULTS
One year after injury, 30% of patients (n = 22) met symptomatic criteria for PTSD and 25% (n = 18) had Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test scores indicative of problem drinking. Patients with PTSD demonstrated significant adverse outcomes in 7 of the 8 domains of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey compared with patients without PTSD. In multivariate models that adjusted for injury severity, chronic medical conditions, age, sex, preinjury physical function, and alcohol use, PTSD remained the strongest predictor of an adverse outcome. Patients with problem drinking did not demonstrate clinically or statistically significant functional impairment compared with patients without problem drinking.


CONCLUSIONS
Posttraumatic stress disorder persisted in 30% of patients 1 year after traumatic injury and was independently associated with a broad profile of functional impairment. The development of treatment intervention protocols for trauma patients with PTSD is warranted.
Zatzick
Douglas F
DF
Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98104-2499. dzatzick@u.washington.edu
Jurkovich
Gregory J
GJ
Gentilello
Larry
L
Wisner
David
D
Rivara
Fredrick P
FP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery