title: Self-inflicted burns in patients with chronic combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: This study examined self-inflicted burns in case series of four patients with chronic combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those patients were hospitalized in the Burn Unit of the University Hospital of Traumatology in Zagreb because of severe burns and had a premorbid psychiatric history of PTSD. Demographic data and information regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident, burn severity, treatment and outcomes of these patients were collected. The authors have analyzed possible impacts of the sensationalistic way in which media present cases of self-inflicted burning that induce other, new cases of this suicide type, known in the literature as "Werther's syndrome". The importance of multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of burn patients is stressed with emphasis on the important role of liaison psychiatrist in treating these patients. It is necessary to educate media people to avoid sensational reporting on this kind of events. Continuous psychiatric treatment of vulnerable individuals could be useful in prevention of self-inflicted burns.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychological Medicine, University Hospital "Zagreb", Zagreb, Croatia. mbras@kbc-zagreb.hr
authors.forename: Marijana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bras
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Loncar
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boban
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gregurek
authors.forename: Lovorka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brajković
authors.forename: Hrvoje
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomicić
authors.forename: Ante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muljacić
authors.forename: Vlatko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Micković
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalenić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted