Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder after stroke: A systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has shown to be related to worse functional outcome in individuals with stroke. This systematic literature review aimed to 1) provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence of prevalence of PTSD after stroke; 2) explore possible differences in prevalence between pathogenic origin of stroke and location of lesion; and 3) explore possible differences in prevalence between method of assessment of PTSD. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed on studies reporting on PTSD post-stroke. Risk of bias was assessed using an adapted version of the Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tool. RESULTS: Thirty studies, reporting on 4320 individuals, were included. The weighted median PTSD prevalence overall was 17.5 % (2.9 %-71.4 %), in ischemic stroke 13.8 %, in transient ischemic attack 4.6 %, in intracerebral hemorrhage 6.5 %, and in subarachnoid hemorrhage 37.1 %. The weighted median prevalence based on self-report questionnaires was 17.8 % (3.7 %-71.4 %,) and based on PTSD interviews 4.0 % (2.9 %-32.8 %). At three and ≥ 12 months post-stroke the weighted median prevalence was respectively 24.7 % (0.0 %-37.1 %) and 17.8 % (6.5 %-71.4 %). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that PTSD is common after stroke, and even more so after subarachnoid hemorrhage. This underlines the importance of awareness of and screening for PTSD post-stroke, even after the first year post-stroke.

Exploration of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in treating posttraumatic stress-disorder in patients with acquired brain injury: a retrospective case series.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent in people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Despite the established efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD in general, evaluation studies on EMDR in ABI patients with PTSD are limited.Objective: The aim of this study is to explore clinical features, treatment characteristics, feasibility and first indications of efficacy of EMDR in adult ABI patients with PTSD.Method: This retrospective consecutive case series included ABI patients, who received at least one session of EMDR for PTSD between January 2013 and September 2020. PTSD symptoms were measured using the Impact of Event Scale (IES) pre- and post-treatment. Affective distress was measured using the Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) pre- and post-treatment of the first target.Results: Sixteen ABI patients (median age 46 years, 50% males), with predominantly moderate or severe TBI (50%) or stroke (25%) were included. Treatment duration was a median of seven sessions. Post-treatment IES scores were significantly lower than pre-treatment scores (p < .001). In 81% of the cases there was an individual statistically and clinically relevant change in IES score. Mean SUD scores of the first target were significantly lower at the end of treatment compared to scores at the start of treatment (p < .001). In 88% of the patients full desensitization to a SUD of 0-1 of the first target was accomplished. Only few adjustments to the standard EMDR protocol were necessary.Conclusions: Findings suggest that EMDR is a feasible, well tolerated and potentially effective treatment for PTSD in ABI patients. For clinical practice in working with ABI patients, it is advised to consider EMDR as a treatment option.

This retrospective consecutive case series (N = 16) explores clinical features, treatment characteristics, feasibility and first indications of efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in adult patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) and Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).The results suggest that EMDR is a feasible and potentially efficacious treatment for PTSD in ABI patients, as patients demonstrated statistically and clinically significant large sized reductions in PTSD-symptoms after EMDR treatment.For clinical practice in working with ABI patients, we advise to consider EMDR as a treatment option.

[Treatment of posttraumatic stress symptoms with EMDR in a patient with aphasia]. / Behandeling van posttraumatische stresssymptomen met EMDR bij een patiënt met afasie.

POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IS HIGHLY PREVALENT IN PATIENTS WITH ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY. EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR) IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS. HOWEVER, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON APPLICABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF EMDR IN ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN PATIENTS WITH APHASIA, IS SCARCE. WE DESCRIBE THE TREATMENT OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS WITH EMDR IN A PATIENT WITH APHASIA AFTER ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY. WE ADJUSTED EMDR STANDARD PROTOCOL. THERAPY WAS RELATIVELY SHORT, THE SPOUSE WAS INVOLVED IN THE TREATMENT, AND RESULTS WERE POSITIVE. FINDINGS SHOW THE POSSIBILITIES FOR EMDR IN PATIENTS WITH APHASIA AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE APPLICATION OF EMDR IN THIS POPULATION.

[Patients with brain injury in a psychiatric setting; assessment of health care needs and received care]. / Klinische patiënten met niet-aangeboren hersenletsel in de ggz; inventarisatie van zorgbehoeftes en ontvangen zorg.

BACKGROUND: In some Dutch mental health care organisations specific neuropsychiatric departments have been developed for patients with brain injury. AIM: To identify the characteristics of patients with brain injury who form a specific population in mental health care and to determine whether such patients require either specialised care or a special type of care. METHOD: A cross-sectional analysis of typical brain injury inpatients was performed. We noted the age and gender of these patients and recorded any previous periods of inpatient care. We listed patients' impairments, the diagnoses they had been given and the treatment they had received. This inventory formed the basis of our conclusions. RESULTS: The typical clinical patient with brain injury in this setting was a male of 51 years or older, most probably affected by a stroke or traumatic brain injury, admitted for a period of 6 months, many years after the incident. He was mostly referred from home or hospital by a physician and was expected to return home again. A combination of cognitive and psychiatric impairments was often found. Physically the patient had no or only mild disabilities, but societal participation was low and many cognitive-affective disorders were seen. Treatment was relatively infrequent and mostly directed at daily activities. The most frequent diagnosis was & lquo;cognitive deficits not otherwise specified'. Irritability, agitation, apathy and depression were frequent symptoms. CONCLUSION: This inventory suggests that brain injury patients in a mental health care setting need special care which is not available in other health care settings.