OBJECTIVE: Traumatic syndromes resembling posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been repeatedly described through the history of mankind. Since the inclusion into operational criteria of DSM-III, the concept of PTSD have been robustly changed. The author reviewed the cutting-edge issues regarding diagnosis and pathophysiology of PTSD for proper understanding of this conditon. METHODS: Wide literatural reviews using Medline and texbooks were performed for integrating up-to-date findings of PTSD studies. Several own preliminary findings and discussions with world-wide experts were also included into this review. RESULTS: The complex pathophysiology with the concept of "stress-vulnerablity model" of PTSD has become increasingly important as the dianostic criteria for PTSD specify an etiological factor, namely the traumatic event, unlike most other mental disoders. The present paper diffusely reviewed the historical consideration, the change of disease concept, symptomatology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, methods for assessment, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of PTSD. CONCLUSION: Since various traumatic events are very prevalent in Korea, understanding the clinical phenomenology of PTSD is very crucial to properly diagnose and treat patients with PTSD.
Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

OBJECTIVE: Traumatic syndromes resembling posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been repeatedly described through the history of mankind. Since the inclusion into operational criteria of DSM-III, the concept of PTSD have been robustly changed. The author reviewed the cutting-edge issues regarding diagnosis and pathophysiology of PTSD for proper understanding of this conditon. METHODS: Wide literatural reviews using Medline and texbooks were performed for integrating up-to-date findings of PTSD studies. Several own preliminary findings and discussions with world-wide experts were also included into this review. RESULTS: The complex pathophysiology with the concept of "stress-vulnerablity model" of PTSD has become increasingly important as the dianostic criteria for PTSD specify an etiological factor, namely the traumatic event, unlike most other mental disoders. The present paper diffusely reviewed the historical consideration, the change of disease concept, symptomatology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, methods for assessment, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of PTSD. CONCLUSION: Since various traumatic events are very prevalent in Korea, understanding the clinical phenomenology of PTSD is very crucial to properly diagnose and treat patients with PTSD.
Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Aged ; Anxiety ; Health Status ; Humans ; Nurses ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology* ; Workplace Violence

Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Humans ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; Suicide ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVES: Trauma patients have attentional bias which enforces traumatic memories and causes cognitive errors. Understanding of such selective attention may explain many aspects of the posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: We used the rapid serial visual presentation(RSVP) method to verify attentional blink in burn patients with PTSD. International affective picture system(IAPS) was used as stimuli and distracters. In the 'neutral test', patients have been presented series of pictures with human face picture as target stimuli. Each picture had 100ms interval. However the distance between target facial pictures was randomized and recognition of second facial picture accuracy was measured. In the 'stress test', the first target was stress picture which arouses patient emotions instead of the facial picture. Neutral and Stress tests were done with seven PTSD patients and 20 controls. In '85ms test' the interval was reduced to 85ms. The accuracy of recognition of second target facial picture was rated in all three tests. Eighty-five ms study was done with eighteen PTSD patients. RESULTS: Attentional blinks were observed in 100-400ms of RSVP. PTSD patients showed increased recognition rate in the'stress test' compared with the 'neutral test'. When presentation interval was decreased to 85 ms, PTSD patient showed decrease of attentional blink effect when target facial picture interval was 170ms. CONCLUSION: We found attentional blink effect could be affected by stress stimulus in burn patients. And attentional blink may be affected by stimulus interval and the character of stimulus. There may be some other specific mechanism related with selective attention in attentional blink especially with facial picture processing.
Attentional Blink ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Burns ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

The print media is still one of major sources for health-related information. To shed light on how the media accurately delivers information for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we searched the newspaper articles and analyzed their contents for accuracy in the description of symptoms, causes, and treatment of PTSD. The articles featuring PSTD were searched from the very first available to 2010 at on-line search systems of three major Korean newspapers. A total of 123 articles appeared and the first article appeared in 1984. The number of articles steadily increased till the early 2000s but we found the robust increase in the late 2000s. Among the mentioned symptoms of PTSD: re-experience (39%) was most common, followed by avoidance or numbing (28%) and hyperarousal (22%). Of the 29 articles mentioning treatment of PTSD, 13 mentioned psychotherapy only and 11 mentioned both psychotherapy and medication equally. However, the psychotherapies mentioned were non-specific and only five articles mentioned any empirically supported therapies. The number of articles on PTSD in Korean newspapers has continually increased during the last three decades. However, the quality of information on the treatment of PTSD was questionable.
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; *Information Dissemination ; Newspapers/*statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/*epidemiology

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the relationship among post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD),social support and quality of life in patients with spinal cord injury(SCI)after a long recovery in China and investigate the factors influencing the quality of life. Methods In this cross-sectional study,206 SCI patients who were hospitalized in 9 hospitals were enrolled.Data collection was performed using general information,the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version,the social support scales,and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Abbreviated version.The data were statistically analyzed using
China/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Social Support ; Spinal Cord Injuries/psychology* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology*

Communicable Diseases ; epidemiology ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Humans ; Somatoform Disorders ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

INTRODUCTIONAnxiety sensitivity has been proposed as a psychological vulnerability factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies have also supported the protective role of resilience for overcoming the negative effects of trauma exposure. Given the linkages between anxiety sensitivity, resilience, trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress, this study explored the potential moderating roles of anxiety sensitivity and resilience on the association between trauma history and PTSD symptoms in a sample of individuals with chronic pain.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 100 patients with chronic pain were recruited from a large public hospital. Patients who had pain lasting for more than 3 months and a pain intensity rating of at least 4/10 were included. The study participants were administered measures of PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version), resilience (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) and anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index).

RESULTSAn analysis of outcome measures indicated that anxiety sensitivity and resilience were independently associated with PTSD symptoms, where βs were 0.57 and -0.23, respectively. The relationship between trauma and PTSD symptom severity was also moderated by anxiety sensitivity. Trauma history was associated with higher PTSD symptom severity only in those with high anxiety sensitivity. However, contrary to the hypotheses, resilience did not serve as a moderator.

CONCLUSIONThere are potential benefits of PTSD interventions that increase resilience and decrease anxiety sensitivity in individuals with chronic pain, especially for those who have experienced a traumatic event. Given that the presence of PTSD symptomatology in chronic pain populations negatively impact patient well-being, it would be important for clinicians to assess, monitor and treat PTSD in individuals with chronic pain.

Anxiety ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Chronic Pain ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Humans ; Psychological Trauma ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Resilience, Psychological ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; psychology