A Third of Patients With Severe COVID-19 Diagnosed With PTSD After Recovery

Nearly a third of patients who sought emergency department treatment for COVID-19 were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a post-recovery health check between 1 and 4 months after acute infection, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry. 

“Previous coronavirus epidemics were associated with PTSD diagnoses in post-illness stages, with meta-analytic findings indicating a prevalence of 32.2% (95% CI, 23.7-42.0),” wrote researchers from Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, Italy, in a research letter. “However, information after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is piecemeal. We aimed at filling this gap.” 

The study spanned 381 consecutive patients, all of whom were white, who had recovered from COVID-19 and underwent a multidisciplinary assessment 30 to 120 days after acute illness. During acute COVID-19 infection, 81.1% of the patients were hospitalized. The average hospital stay was 18.41 days.

Nutrition, Demographics May Influence PTSD Experience

At the post-recovery health assessment, 115 patients, or 30.2%, had PTSD diagnosed by a psychiatrist, according to the study. Additional diagnoses included depressive episode (17.3%), hypomanic episode (0.7%), generalized anxiety disorder (7.0%), and psychotic disorders (0.2%).

“Associated [PTSD] characteristics were female sex, which has been extensively described as a risk factor for PTSD, history of psychiatric disorders, and delirium or agitation during acute illness,” researchers reported. “In the PTSD group, we also found more persistent medical symptoms, often reported by patients after recovery from severe COVID-19.” 

Of the patients diagnosed with PTSD, 55.7% were women, 34.8% reported a history of psychiatric disorders, 16.5% reported delirium or agitation during acute illness, and 62.6% presented with more than 3 persistent medical symptoms in the post-illness stage, according to the study. 

“Further longitudinal studies are needed,” researchers advised, “to tailor therapeutic interventions and prevention strategies.” 

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference

Janiri D, Carfì A, Kotzalidis GD, et al. Posttraumatic stress disorder in patients after severe COVID-19 infection. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021 February 18;[Epub ahead of print].