Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms following an experience of delirium

To evaluate the prevalence of symptoms of PTSD and its correlates after 2 weeks of recovery, among patients, who developed delirium.

A prospective study designed was followed, in which subjects diagnosed with delirium were evaluated 2 weeks after resolution of symptoms of delirium, for PTSD symptoms by using Impact of Events Scale-Revised version (IES-R).

59 patients were evaluated for PTSD 2 weeks after resolution of delirium and the total mean IES-R score was 27.81 (SD-11.41). Based on the IES-cut-off scores of the scale, 30.5% of the patients (n = 18) were considered to have substantial symptoms of PTSD, 22% (n = 13) had probable symptoms of PTSD and 15.3% were considered to have partial symptoms of PTSD after resolution of delirium. None of the demographic or clinical factors were associated with development of PTSD. Those with PTSD symptoms had significantly higher prevalence of fluctuation of symptoms, while experiencing delirium and had significantly higher mean scores for the items of motor agitation, attentional deficits, higher total severity score on the Delirium Rating Scale-revised-98 version (DRS-R98) and higher DRS-R-98 total score. Higher severity of delirium as indicated by the total DRS-R98 score and the total DRS-R98 severity score were associated with higher severity of PTSD symptoms. The IES-R total score did not have any significant correlation with duration of illness, duration of delirium or Charlson Co-morbidity index.

This study suggests that about one-third of patients who develop delirium go on to develop symptoms of PTSD, after recovery from delirium. Development of PTSD symptoms is associated with severity of delirium. Hence, it is important to treat the delirium adequately and provide psychological support to the patients who develop delirium, after recovery from delirium.