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JACC. Advances Jan 2024
PubMed: 38939817
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100745 -
JACC. Advances Jan 2024Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased rates of incident ischemic heart disease (IHD) in women.
BACKGROUND
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased rates of incident ischemic heart disease (IHD) in women.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to determine mechanisms of the PTSD-IHD association in women.
METHODS
In this retrospective longitudinal cohort study, data were obtained from electronic health records of all U.S. women veterans who were enrolled in Veterans Health Administration care from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2017. Propensity score matching was used to match women with PTSD to women without PTSD on age, number of prior Veterans Health Administration visits, and presence of various traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors at index visit. Cox regression was used to model time until incident IHD diagnosis (ie, coronary artery disease, angina, or myocardial infarction) as a function of PTSD and potential mediating risk factors. Diagnoses of IHD, PTSD, and risk factors were defined by International Classification of Diseases-9th or -10th Revision, and/or Current Procedural Terminology codes.
RESULTS
PTSD was associated with elevated rates of developing each risk factor. Traditional risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, diabetes) accounted for 24.2% of the PTSD-IHD association, psychiatric risk factors (eg, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders) accounted for 33.8% of the association, and all 13 risk factors accounted for 48.5% of the association.
CONCLUSIONS
Traditional IHD risk factors explained a quarter of the PTSD-IHD association in women veterans, and over half of the risk of IHD associated with PTSD remained unexplained even when adjusting for a wide range of risk factors. To be actionable, factors underlying the remaining PTSD-IHD association warrant timely investigation.
PubMed: 38939802
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100744 -
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Jun 2024The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of childhood trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and trauma-related comorbid diagnoses on the risk for...
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of childhood trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and trauma-related comorbid diagnoses on the risk for readmission to juvenile detention among youth in a large metropolitan area ( = 1282). The following research questions were addressed: 1) Does a greater number of childhood traumas increase the risk for readmission to detention following release? 2) Does the risk for readmission differ by type of trauma? 3) Do PTSD and other co-morbid diagnoses increase the risk for readmission? and 4) What role do demographic factors play in the relationship between trauma-related variables and risk for readmission? This study utilized the screening results of 1282 youth who were voluntarily screened for PTSD, depressive symptoms and substance use during their initial intake to detention. More than half of the sample was readmitted during the three-year study period, with readmissions most likely to occur within one year of release. Returning to detention within one year was also associated with increased risk for multiple readmissions. Youth readmitted to detention were more likely to have a history of sexual abuse and problematic substance use. No other significant relationships were found between risk for readmission and trauma-related variables. Although trauma-related symptoms may be crucial targets for treatment, focusing solely on trauma exposure and traumatic stress symptoms without considering the impact of other risk factors may not be enough to decrease the likelihood of readmission for youth of color in a large urban environment.
PubMed: 38938971
DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00596-0 -
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Jun 2024The majority of children with traumatic experiences who seek treatment have had multiple traumatic experiences resulting in complex trauma. Complex trauma is associated...
The majority of children with traumatic experiences who seek treatment have had multiple traumatic experiences resulting in complex trauma. Complex trauma is associated with multiple adverse outcomes for children and caregivers. Treating complex trauma has the potential to significantly improve child mental and physical health, caregiver mental health, and reduce family conflict. One promising approach is the Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) Framework. Yet, there is limited research on the effectiveness of interventions using the ARC framework. The purpose of this rapid scoping review was to assess the state of the evidence of ARC and ARC adaptations. The databases APA PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, and Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts were searched. The search was limited to articles involving interventions using the ARC framework and written in English. To be as comprehensive as possible quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods designs were included and there was no date restriction. Ten articles were included in the review. Results show all studies were quasi experimental, half did not include a comparison group, and interventions using the ARC framework varied in duration (12-180 sessions), setting (outpatient therapy, residential treatment, community outreach and school-based intervention) and age (birth-22). Findings indicate the ARC framework shows promise in reducing children's trauma related symptoms including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), externalizing, and internalizing problems, and improving trauma sensitive classroom environments. Additional outcomes included increased permanent placements, reduced caregiver stress and increased caregiver functioning. Future research is needed utilizing randomized controlled trials to establish efficacy of this promising intervention.
PubMed: 38938964
DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00575-5 -
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Jun 2024Extant evidence indicates that exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) tend to cluster among children and adolescents. Considering that adolescents from African...
Extant evidence indicates that exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) tend to cluster among children and adolescents. Considering that adolescents from African countries present higher risk of being exposed to multiple ACE compared to other countries, the identification of victimization profiles in this population is clearly warranted. The aim of this study was to determine meaningful clusters of individuals with similar experiences of ACE in a sample of Kenyan adolescents. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify latent classes of exposure to ACE. In addition, the relationships between the latent classes and gender, parental education, living arrangements and diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were estimated. A three-class solution was found to be the best description of ACE, and the classes were labelled ''Low Risk'', ''Intermediate Risk'', and ''High Risk''. Compared with the Low-Risk class, the High-Risk class was found to be significantly more likely to have a diagnosis of PTSD and being a female may be an antecedent risk factor for high exposure to ACE. The Intermediate Risk class was significantly less likely to have parents with high school or college education. This paper indicates that Kenyan adolescents present higher risk of being exposed to multiple ACE and that trauma research may turn its focus on the individual as the unit of analysis rather than traumatic events.
PubMed: 38938956
DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00603-4 -
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Jun 2024Traumatic childhood events are some of the few identifiable and to some extent preventable causes of psychiatric illness. Children exposed to severely stressful events...
Traumatic childhood events are some of the few identifiable and to some extent preventable causes of psychiatric illness. Children exposed to severely stressful events may react with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and this may impact their level of function in daily life, their future development and mental health. The traumatic stress model suggests that traumatic stress in the family, community violence, and other traumas are regarded as additive environmental factors that can outweigh protective compensatory factors and thus interact with individual vulnerabilities. This study is based on prospective panel data including the whole population of children born in Denmark from 1984 to 1994, who are followed from age 7 to age 18 (N = 679,000) in the window between 2001 and 2012. Risk factors for first-time diagnose with PTSD are analyzed by the discrete time log-odd model. We found a lifetime prevalence of 2.3% PTSD in school-age children (n = 15,636). In accordance with the model, indicators of traumatic stress in the family, family disintegration, community violence, and individual vulnerabilities predicted later diagnose with PTSD. Individual neurodevelopmental disorder - especially autism (adjusted Odds Ratio (OR 7.1) and ADHD (OR 10.7) - were predicative of PTSD. The results cooperated the traumatic stress model. Some results were inconsistent with the traumatic stress model e.g., parental substance abuse were associated with less than expected PTSD in school-age children when adjusted for other risk factors. This indicates that PTSD may be underestimated in these groups. PTSD diagnoses in administrative records underestimate the prevalence, systematically. Efforts to increase PTSD screening may allow for better management.
PubMed: 38938938
DOI: 10.1007/s40653-024-00611-y -
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Jun 2024Unhoused children and adolescents have high rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The objective of this study was to characterize a large cohort of unhoused...
Unhoused children and adolescents have high rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The objective of this study was to characterize a large cohort of unhoused children and investigate rates of psychiatric diagnoses, medical diagnoses, and utilization of emergency department (ED) resources depending on the presence of additional documented ACEs. A retrospective cohort of all unhoused children who presented to the ED of a large Midwestern health system from January 2014 to July 2019 were included. Unhoused status was determined by address field or ICD-10 code for homelessness (Z59.0). Demographics and ED visits were extracted from the electronic health record. Past medical history, ACEs, chief complaint (CC), length of stay (LOS), imaging, and labs were extracted by chart review. T-tests, chi square tests, and Fisher's exact tests were completed for each sub-analysis. Unhoused children with at least one additional ACE had higher odds of the following psychiatric disorders: depression (OR = 5.2, 95% CI = 3.4- 7.9), anxiety (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 32.1-5.5), behavioral disorder (OR = 7.2, 95% CI = 35.1- 10.4), psychoses (OR = 6.0, 1.9-18.4), bipolar disorder (OR = 19.8, 95% CI = 34.6-84.9), suicidal ideation (OR = 8.0, 95% CI = 34.8-13.4), post-traumatic stress disorder (OR = 10.1, 95% CI = 35.4-18.6), and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (OR = 4.1, 3.0-5.7). Patients with additional documented ACEs were also more likely to have a prior psychiatric admission (p < 0.001). Unhoused children and adolescents with exposure to additional documented ACEs are more likely to have some serious psychiatric and medical diagnoses compared to other unhoused children.
PubMed: 38938936
DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00608-z -
Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience 2024Stimulants are the first-line pharmacological treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We present the unique case of a patient who developed a...
Stimulants are the first-line pharmacological treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We present the unique case of a patient who developed a chewing compulsion when taking mixed amphetamine salts (MAS). A 32-year-old female patient with a past medical history of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroparesis, and migraines was seen for initial psychiatric assessment due to concerns for irritability. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); generalized anxiety disorder; ADHD, inattentive type; and unspecified bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine was started and titrated to 25mg twice per day, with improved mood stability. MAS immediate-release (IR) was started at 2.5mg and titrated to 5mg daily for ADHD. She then experienced an uncontrollable urge to chew, finding relief when chewing on a child's teething necklace, which provided satisfaction and a reduction in anxiety. She denied jaw tightness or teeth grinding. The dose of MAS IR was reduced to 2.5mg daily with improvement in symptoms and later increased again to 5mg daily, which she was then able to tolerate. Stereotyped biting behaviors have been observed in rats with the use of amphetamines, and the onset of compulsive behavior has emerged in children with the use of dextroamphetamine. However, this is the first known case of compulsive chewing or biting movements reported in humans with MAS use. This case highlights the need to assess patients for adverse events, such as compulsive biting and chewing movements or other oral facial stereotypies, after commencement of stimulants, including MAS.
PubMed: 38938532
DOI: No ID Found -
Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.) Jun 2024Digital terror refers to the use of digital technology to disseminate graphic images of acts of violence to frighten the public. On October 7, 2023, militants of the...
Digital terror refers to the use of digital technology to disseminate graphic images of acts of violence to frighten the public. On October 7, 2023, militants of the Palestinian organization Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel and used digital terror to magnify their acts. Although the purposeful spreading of terror via digital means is not new, the Hamas attack was significant for the scope, immediacy, and widespread dissemination of its digital content. This column aims to describe and analyze the psychological significance of this new form of terror, the public mental health challenges raised, and the interventions needed to assist those exposed to digital terror.
PubMed: 38938092
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20240169 -
BMC Psychiatry Jun 2024This scoping review sought to investigate the association between pregnancy-related complications and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among postpartum women, then... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
This scoping review sought to investigate the association between pregnancy-related complications and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among postpartum women, then summarize effective psychological interventions for pregnancy-related PTSD or sub-PTSD.
METHOD
Publications in English and Chinese were searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, ISI Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WanFang databases using the subject headings of "Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic", "Pregnant Women", and "psychotherapy". To ensure that as many relevant studies are incorporated as possible, free terms such as prenatal, postnatal, perinatal and gestation were also used. Intervention studies and related cases published by July 1st, 2023, were also searched.
RESULTS
Twenty-one articles (including 3,901 mothers) were included in this review. Evidence showed that typical psychological interventions exhibited great effect, and family support programs, peer support, online yoga, and music therapy were also effective in reducing risk and improving the psychological well-being of the studied population.
CONCLUSION
Fetal abnormalities, miscarriage, premature birth, infants with low birth weights, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and hyperemesis gravidarum are associated with an increased risk of PTSD. Moreover, high-risk pregnant women may benefit from psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It may also be feasible and well-accepted for music therapy and exposure therapy to lessen the intensity of PTSD in mothers.
Topics: Humans; Pregnancy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Female; Pregnancy Complications; Psychosocial Intervention; Psychotherapy
PubMed: 38937748
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05926-6