Posttraumatic stress disorder associated with orthopaedic trauma: a study in patients with extremity fractures

The aims of this prospective study were to determine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a population of young male military conscripts who experienced an extremity long-bone fracture, and to evaluate whether injury-related variables are associated with the development of PTSD.

Prospective, nonrandomized comparative study.

Level 1 trauma center.

A total of 148 men (age older than 18 years) who had 1 or more acute long-bone extremity fractures within 12 months and were seen at the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Center for examination of military conscripts from March 2013 to March 2014, were enrolled. The Korean version of the posttraumatic disorder scale was used to identify aspects of PTSD. The injury-related variables assessed included injury mechanism, fracture location and multiplicity, fracture severity, and the occurrence of joint ankylosis and secondary osteoarthritis.

Of the 148 participants, 40 (27.0%) met the criteria for the diagnosis of PTSD. Multivariate logistic linear analysis confirmed that lower extremity fracture, multiple fractures, and a higher pain visual analog scale score were significantly (P = 0.042, P = 0.043 and P < 0.001, respectively) related to the occurrence of PTSD.

Lower extremity fracture, multiple extremity fractures, and higher pain visual analog scale scores were significantly related to the occurrence of PTSD. To achieve an optimal recovery after orthopaedic injury, clinicians must address both physical and psychologic needs of their patients.

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.