Stress and lasting symptoms following injury: Results from a 4-month cohort of trauma patients recruited at the emergency department

• Published in: International emergency nursing 2020-01, Vol.48, p.100810, Article 100810
• Main Authors: Cédric, Gil-Jardiné, Hoareau, Stéphanie, Valdenaire, Guillaume, Contrand, Benjamin, Salmi, Louis-Rachid, Masson, Françoise, Tellier, Eric, Ribéreau-Gayon, Régis, Revel, Philippe, Lagarde, Emmanuel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chronic illnesses; Concussion; Emergency department; Emergency medical care; Emergency services; Hospitalization; Injuries; Injury; Life Sciences; Multivariate analysis; Patient admissions; Post traumatic stress disorder; Post-concussion syndrome; Quality of life; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Stress; Trauma
• ISSN: 1755-599X; 1532-9267; 1878-013X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2019.100810

•Near 25% of patients admitted in the ED after a minor trauma presented persistent symptoms 3-months after ED treatment.•These symptoms are similar to those of post-concussion syndrome.•There is a strong association between stress at discharge and occurrence of these symptoms.•Intervention could be proposed to reduce stress in the ED and probably prevent the occurrence of Post-concussion like symptoms. Recent research suggests that up to 20% of minor trauma patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) will suffer from non-specific chronic conditions over the subsequent several months. Thus, the present study assessed the correlates of symptoms that persisted at 4 months after an ED visit and, in particular, evaluated the associations between these symptoms and self-reported stress levels at ED admission and discharge. This study was a prospective observational investigation conducted in the ED of Bordeaux University Hospital that included patients admitted for minor trauma. All participants were contacted by phone 4 months after presentation at the ED to assess the occurrence of post-concussion-like symptoms (PCLS). A total of 193 patients completed the follow-up assessment at 4 months; 5.2% of the participants suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 24.5% suffered from PCLS. A multivariate analysis revealed an association between PCLS and stress level at discharge from the ED (odds ratios [OR]: 2.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–7.40). The risk of PCLS at 4 months after an ED visit for a minor injury increased in association with the level of stress at discharge from the ED. These results may improve the quality of life for the millions of patients who experience a stressful injury event every year.