ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Psichiatrica 2001 June;42(2):99-106

Copyright © 2001 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Post-traumatic psychopathological reaction to whiplash conceptualisation and ad interim preliminary study

Mantero M., Gozzini C., Fornara S., Manzone M. L., Scigliuzzo U., Prandoni P., Ferri M., Luna E., Penati G.

Background. The neuropsychiatric sequelae of road accidents may encompass anxiety and depression, in some cases yielding to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The presence of post-traumatic psychopathology has been assessed in a group of whiplash injured patients consisting of 51 cases attending an orthopaedic clinic (mean time from accident: 58 days).
Methods. Psychopathological evaluation was made as follows: Impact of Event Scale ­ Revised (IES-R), State­Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD).
Results. Results showed moderately high anxie-ty levels (mean STAI 1 scores 37,902; DS 9,665 and mean STAI 2 scores 39,510; DS 10,657). Specific post traumatic symptoms were also detected (IES-R mean scores total 20,765; SD 14,551; Intrusion: 0,894; Avoidance: 0,853; Iperarousal 1,132). All three IES-R subscales were significantly correlated with HAMA and HAMD.
Conclusions. Hypervigilance was particularly correlated with STAI 1 and HAMD indicating a possible neurovegetative activation after the traumatic event.