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Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and debilitating illness that accompanies many neurological disorders, including stroke.Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify and critically appraise all published studies that have reported the frequency, severity, and time course of PTSD after stroke, the factors associated with its development, and its impact on patients' lives.Material and Methods: The PubMed EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Ovid Nursing databases were searched for studies published in English that had recruited at least 10 patients (>18 years old) after stroke and who were also diagnosed with PTSD.Results: Twenty studies covering a total of 1785 patients met the study inclusion criteria. The frequency of PTSD ranged from 3% to 31%, with a weighted proportion of 16.5%. PTSD runs a chronic course. PTSD after stroke was associated with premorbid neuroticism, negative affect, and maladaptive coping styles. Comorbid depression and anxiety also increased the risk of PTSD. Psychological factors such as negative appraisal and perceived high risk of recurrence and distress were associated with PTSD. Good social support reduced the risk of PTSD. PTSD reduced patients' quality of life, physical functioning, and medication compliance.Conclusions: PTSD is common after stroke. Further research is needed to clarify its time course and identify the neurochemical factors and brain circuits associated with the development of post-stroke PTSD. Randomized controlled treatment trials targeting PTSD in stroke are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently follows neurological disorders such as non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and has debilitating consequences., Objective: The aim of this systematic review was the critical appraisal of the literature on the frequency, severity, and temporal progression of PTSD in patients with SAH, the etiology of PTSD, and its effect on patients' quality of life (QoL)., Material and Methods: Studies were obtained from three databases: PubMed EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Ovid Nursing. The inclusion criteria were English-language studies on adults (defined as at least 18 years of age) in which ≥10 of the participants received a diagnosis of PTSD following SAH. Applying these criteria, 17 studies (N = 1,381) were included., Results: Between 1% and 74% of the participants in each study had PTSD, with a weighted average of 36.6% across all studies. Post-SAH PTSD showed significant correlations with premorbid psychiatric disorders, neuroticism, and maladaptive coping styles. The risk of PTSD was also higher in participants with comorbid depression and anxiety. Stress related to post-ictal events and fear of recurrence were associated with PTSD. However, the risk of PTSD was lower in participants with effective social support networks. The participants' QoL was negatively affected by PTSD., Conclusions: This review highlights the high occurrence of PTSD in SAH patients. The temporal progression and chronicity of post-SAH PTSD warrant further research, as do its neuroanatomical and neurochemical correlates. We call for more randomized controlled trials investigating these aspects., Competing Interests: None

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and debilitating illness that accompanies many neurological disorders, including stroke., Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify and critically appraise all published studies that have reported the frequency, severity, and time course of PTSD after stroke, the factors associated with its development, and its impact on patients' lives., Material and Methods: The PubMed EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Ovid Nursing databases were searched for studies published in English that had recruited at least 10 patients (>18 years old) after stroke and who were also diagnosed with PTSD., Results: Twenty studies covering a total of 1785 patients met the study inclusion criteria. The frequency of PTSD ranged from 3% to 31%, with a weighted proportion of 16.5%. PTSD runs a chronic course. PTSD after stroke was associated with premorbid neuroticism, negative affect, and maladaptive coping styles. Comorbid depression and anxiety also increased the risk of PTSD. Psychological factors such as negative appraisal and perceived high risk of recurrence and distress were associated with PTSD. Good social support reduced the risk of PTSD. PTSD reduced patients' quality of life, physical functioning, and medication compliance., Conclusions: PTSD is common after stroke. Further research is needed to clarify its time course and identify the neurochemical factors and brain circuits associated with the development of post-stroke PTSD. Randomized controlled treatment trials targeting PTSD in stroke are warranted., Competing Interests: None