Posttraumatic stress disorder in combat casualties with burns sustaining primary blast and concussive injuries.
BACKGROUND
There is a heightened focus on postexplosion functional outcomes in combat casualties. Previously, we reported a high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (32%) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) (41%) in patients with explosion-related burns. We hypothesized that the prevalence of PTSD in patients with burn was associated with primary blast injuries (PBIs) and mTBI.


METHODS
We reviewed the records of 333 patients admitted consecutively to the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research burn center for explosion-related injuries between March 2003 and March 2006. By using the Posttraumatic Checklist, Military Version (PCL-M), patients were evaluated for PTSD symptoms (PCL-M score >or=44). Loss of consciousness defined mTBI. Patient data were analyzed in groups based on PTSD (yes or no), mechanism of injury (improvised explosive device [IED] vs. other explosive), PBI (yes or no), and mTBI (yes or no).


RESULTS
Of 333 patients, 119 had PTSD assessments. Overall, PTSD was 22% (26 of 119). The prevalence of PTSD differed between mechanism of injury groups (p = 0.03). In the IED group (n = 105), 25% had PTSD symptoms and 18% had mTBI; patients injured by other explosive devices (n = 14) had no PTSD symptoms and one had mTBI (p = 0.04; p = 0.69, respectively). Also in the IED group, in patients with PBI, PTSD was 45% (9 of 20) compared with 20% (17 of 85) without PBI (odds ratio=3.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-9.16). More patients with PBI and mTBI (4 of 6; 67%) had PTSD symptoms compared with other patients (22 of 99; 22%) (odds ratio, 7.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-40.78). No other associations were found between PBI and mTBI.


CONCLUSIONS
IED-wounded burn patients with PBI and mTBI have a greater prevalence of PTSD. Patients who did not have IED-related injuries did not have PTSD and only one had mTBI.
United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6315, USA.
Alejandra G
AG
Mora
Amber E
AE
Ritenour
Charles E
CE
Wade
John B
JB
Holcomb
Lorne H
LH
Blackbourne
Kathryn M
KM
Gaylord
D000328:Adult; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology*; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult