Intensive care diaries reduce new onset post traumatic stress disorder following critical illness : a randomised, controlled trial

INTRODUCTION: Patients recovering from critical illness have been shown to be at risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD). This study was to evaluate whether a prospectively collected diary of a patient's intensive care unit (ICU) stay when used during convalescence following critical illness will reduce the development of new onset PTSD. METHODS: Intensive care patients with an ICU stay of more than 72 hours were recruited to a randomised controlled trial examining the effect of a diary outlining the details of the patients ICU stay on the development of acute PTSD. The intervention patients received their ICU diary at 1 month following critical care discharge and the final assessment of the development of acute PTSD was made at 3 months. RESULTS: 352 patients were randomised to the study at 1 month. The incidence of new cases of PTSD was reduced in the intervention group compared to the control patients (5% versus 13%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The provision of an ICU diary is effective in aiding psychological recovery and reducing the incidence of new PTSD.RACHEL GROUP in addition to the authors: Denmark, Christensen D, Bogø I, Hansen R, Kjerrumgård H, Mathiasen L, Hyldested C, Toft C, Nordsjaelland Hospital; Bagger C, Larsen MB, Frank de Jong L, Odense University Hospital; Ågård AS, Knudsen K, Hinzel T, Århus University Hospital, Skejby; Italy, Scaramuzza A & Bertacchini S, Ferrara; Norway, Schou Landmark J, Salomonsen A, Tøien K, Walther S, Oslo University Hospital Ulleval; Muri AK, Haukeland University Hospital; Portugal, Neutel E, Gomes E, Cardoso T, Ferreira R, Machado C, Santos C, Pinto S, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Amaro A, Morujão E, Jerónimo A, Rodrigues T, Carvalho F, Silva A, Morais A Hospital Pedro Hispano; Sweden, Löwenmark U, Etemad W, Rosell E, Sahgrenska University Hospital; Carlson U, Wirbrand Holmquist A, Kungälv Hospital; Åkerman E, Ersson A, Malmö University Hospital; UK, Tobin C, Whiston.