title: Posttraumatic stress disorder in organ transplant recipients: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize and critically review the existing literature on the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following organ transplantation, risk factors for posttransplantation PTSD and the relationship of posttransplant PTSD to other clinical outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic literature review using PubMed, CINAHL Plus, the Cochrane Library and PsycInfo and a search of the online contents of 18 journals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three studies were included. Posttransplant, the point prevalence of clinician-ascertained PTSD ranged from 1% to 16% (n=738), the point prevalence of questionnaire-assessed substantial PTSD symptoms ranged from 0% to 46% (n=1024) and the cumulative incidence of clinician-ascertained transplant-specific PTSD ranged from 10% to 17% (n=482). Consistent predictors of posttransplant PTSD included history of psychiatric illness prior to transplantation and poor social support posttransplantation. Posttransplant PTSD was consistently associated with worse mental HRQOL and potentially associated with worse physical HRQOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTSD may impact a substantial proportion of organ transplant recipients. Future studies should focus on transplant-specific PTSD and clarify potential risk factors for, and adverse outcomes related to, posttransplant PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: ddavydo1@u.washington.edu.
authors.forename: Dimitry S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Davydow
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Erika D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Lease
authors.affiliation: Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Reyes
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; D066027:Transplant Recipients / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Organ transplantation; Outcome assessment (health care); Posttraumatic stress disorder; Quality of life