RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (PTSS) are common after minor injuries and can impair recovery. We sought to understand whether an evidence-based mobile phone application with self-help tools (PTSD Coach) could be useful to improve recovery after acute trauma among injured emergency department (ED) patients. This pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and potential benefit of using PTSD Coach among acutely injured motor vehicle crash (MVC) patients. METHODS: From September 2017 to September 2018, we recruited adult patients within 24 hours post-MVC from the EDs of two Level I trauma centers in the United States. We randomly assigned 64 injured adults to either the PTSD Coach (n = 33) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 31) condition. We assessed PTSS and associated symptoms at 1 month (83% retained) and 3 months (73% retained) postenrollment. RESULTS: Enrollment was feasible (74% of eligible subjects participated) but usability and engagement were low (67% used PTSD Coach at least once, primarily in week 1); 76% of those who used it rated the app as moderately to extremely helpful. No differences emerged between groups in PTSS outcomes. Exploratory analyses among black subjects (n = 21) indicated that those in the PTSD Coach condition (vs. TAU) reported marginally lower PTSS (95% CI = -0.30 to 37.77) and higher PTSS coping self-efficacy (95% CI = -58.20 to -3.61) at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated feasibility to recruit acutely injured ED patients into an app-based intervention study, yet mixed evidence emerged for the usability and benefit of PTSD Coach. Most patients used the app once and rated it favorably in regard to satisfaction with and helpfulness, but longitudinal engagement was low. This latter finding may explain the lack of overall effects on PTSS. Additional research is warranted regarding whether targeting more symptomatic patients and the addition of engagement and support features can improve efficacy.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Despite the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated comorbidities after physical injury, few emergency departments (EDs) in the United States screen for the presence of psychological symptoms and conditions. Barriers to systematic screening could be overcome by using a tool that is both comprehensive and brief. This study aimed to determine 1) the feasibility of screening for posttraumatic sequelae among adults with minor injury in the ED and 2) the relationship between ED screening and later psychological symptoms and poor quality of life (QOL) at 6 weeks postinjury. METHODS: In the EDs of two Level I trauma centers, we enrolled injured patients (n = 149) who reported serious injury and/or life threat in the past 24 hours. Subjects completed the Posttraumatic Adjustment Scale (PAS) to screen for PTSD and depression in the ED, and 6 weeks later they completed assessments for symptoms of PTSD, depression, and trauma-specific QOL (T-QoL). RESULTS: Our retained sample at 6 weeks was 84 adults (51.2% male; mean ± SD age = 33 ± 11.88 years); 38% screened positive for PTSD, and 76% screened positive for depression in the ED. Controlling for age, hospital admission, and ED pain score, regression analyses revealed that a positive ED screen for both PTSD and depression was significantly associated with 6 weeks PTSD (p = 0.027, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.92 to 15.14) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.001, 95% CI = 2.20 to 7.74), respectively. Further, a positive ED screen for depression (p = 0.043, 95% CI = -16.66 to -0.27) and PTSD (p = 0.015, 95% CI = -20.35 to -2.24) was significantly associated with lower T-QoL. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that it is feasible to identify patients at risk for postinjury sequelae in the ED; screening for mental health risk may identify patients in need of early intervention and further monitoring.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Resumen Objetivo: describir las principales causas de mortalidad en los 30 primeros días postrasplante cardíaco. Métodos: cohorte retrospectiva de pacientes con trasplante cardiaco realizado de 2008 a 2015, que murieron en los primeros 30 días luego del procedimiento. La información se recolectó del registro institucional de trasplante cardíaco. Se describieron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, características del receptor, causas de muerte, complicaciones y características del pre- intra- y postoperatorio. Resultados: desde enero de 2008 hasta agosto de 2015 se realizaron 74 trasplantes cardíacos. De estos, 10 pacientes murieron en los primeros 30 días postrasplante (mortalidad de 13,51%).La mediana de edad fue 55 años (rango intercuartil [RIQ] 26-62 años) y 50% de ellos fueron de sexo masculino. La mediana de fracción de eyección pretrasplante fue 24% (RIQ 18-47) y el tiempo en lista de espera 81 días (RIQ 12-157 días). Cuatro pacientes se encontraban en estadio 0 A y los seis restantes en estadio 1. La mediana de tiempo entre el trasplante y la muerte fue un día (RIQ 0-3 día) y la mortalidad más tardía se presentó a los 18 días. Las principales causas de muerte fueron: falla multiorgánica (5 casos), falla aguda del injerto (3 casos) y coagulopatía perioperatoria (2 casos). Conclusiones: en una institución de referencia para trasplante cardíaco del suroccidente colombiano, la mortalidad precoz postrasplante cardíaco fue del 13,51%, similar a la reportada por registros internacionales. La principal causa de muerte fue la falla multiorgánica, que ocurrió principalmente en las primeras 24 horas después del trasplante cardíaco.

Abstract Objective: To describe the main causes of mortality in the first 30 days post-heart transplant. Methods: A study was conducted on a representative patient cohort with a heart transplant performed between 2008 and 2015, and who died in the first 30 days after the procedure. The information was collected from an institutional heart transplant register. A description is presented of the sociodemographic and clinical variables, the receiver characteristics, causes of death, as well as pre-, intra-, and post-operative characteristics and complications. Results: A total of 74 heart transplants were performed between January 2008 and August 2015. Of these, 10 patients died in the first 30 days post-transplant (a mortality rate of 13.51%). The median age was 55 years (Inter-quartile range (IQR) 26-62 years) and 50% of them were male. The median ejection fraction pre-transplant was 24% (IQR 18-47) and time on the waiting list of 81 days (IQR 12-157 days). Four of the patients were in Stage 0 A, and the remaining 6 were in Stage 1. The median time between the transplant and death was 1 day (IQR 0-3 days, and the later mortality rate was at 18 days. The main causes of death were: multi-organ failure (5 cases), acute graft failure (3 cases), and peri-operative coagulopathy (2 cases). Conclusions: In an institution of reference for heart transplantation in South-West Colombia, the early post-transplant mortality rate was 13.51%, similar to that reported in international registers. The main cause of death was multi-organ failure, which occurred mainly in the first 24 hours after the heart transplant.

Asunto(s)