Effect of trauma onset on personality traits of politically persecuted victims

BACKGROUND: The hypothesis that traumatic experiences in early childhood impact personality formation and psychopathology is well known in psychology and psychiatry, but this is difficult to verify statistically in methodological terms. The aim of this study, conducted with politically persecuted Poles, was to establish the influence of the time when trauma is experienced on the development of psychopathological symptoms. METHODS: The subjects were divided into two groups: those who had experienced trauma before age five (group 1) and those who experienced trauma at an older age (group 2). Subjects in both groups suffered from chronic untreated post-traumatic stress disorder. In order to test the research hypothesis, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 profiles of both groups were compared using Student’s t-test, and the Mann–Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Statistically significant between-group differences were found for the F validity scale and the following clinical scales: Hypochondriasis, Depression, Psychopathic deviate, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia, and Social introversion. All the significantly different scores were higher in the group traumatized in early childhood. People exposed to trauma under age five had profiles similar to those traumatized after age five, but they experienced their symptoms more intensely. CONCLUSIONS: Of clinical significance, higher scores on the psychasthenia, schizophrenia, and social introversion scales, especially on the psychopathic deviate scale, indicated pathology only in the early childhood trauma group. Taken together, these symptoms lead to withdrawal and hindrance of social functioning. This outcome confirms the hypothesis of the influence of various early childhood factors (such as trauma) on personality formation and personality traits in adulthood

Does time always heal all wounds? : symptoms, consequences and distant effects of post-traumatic stress

The modern world is not a peaceful planet. In many places on earth there are still long-term ongoing military conflicts, exposing the huge crowds of soldiers and civilians to the horrors of modern warfare. Survivors retain the effects of these traumatic events in their minds for a long time. The world is not free from many natural disasters that despite impressive growth techniques are still unavoidable and unpredictable. People who have experienced an extremely traumatic event – participants of wars, survivors of concentration camps, prisoners of war, experiencing life-threatening symptoms, victims of assault, rape, domestic violence, victims of traffic accidents, as well as victims of natural disasters (earthquakes, fires) for many years, sometimes till the end of their lives experience severe consequences of these traumatic events. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves a group of symptoms such as intrusive reminders of trauma, symptoms of depression and anxiety, loss of initiative, lack of perspective on life, social withdrawal, symptoms of uncontrolled arousal. In such groups, more likely than in those without PTSD, one is likely to come across somatic disorders, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, glucose and lipid abnormalities, substance abuse

Coping with stress and hypertension-mediated organ damage

Aim of the study: Chronic exposure to high blood pressure may lead to the development of hypertensionmediated organ damage (HMOD). This study compares styles and strategies of coping with stress in hypertensive patients with arterial stiffness or left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and in individuals with hypertension, but without HMOD. Material and methods: Each study participant (n=93) underwent the following procedures: clinical assessment, echocardiography, pulse wave velocity measurement and psychological testing. Blood pressure in the study group was measured using ABPM method. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was assessed to identify patients with arterial stiffness. Left ventricular mass index was measured to diagnose LVH. Each patient was also assessed using three psychometric tools: PSS-10, CISS and Brief COPE. Results: Subjects with arterial stiffness (increased PWV) scored significantly lower than patients with normal PWV in three scales: CISS Avoidance-oriented coping (median values: 39 vs. 41.5; p=0.042), Brief COPE Self-distraction (median values: 1.5 vs. 2; p=0.013) and Brief COPE Venting (median values: 1 vs. 1.5; p=0.037). Individuals with LVH had significantly lower results in Brief COPE Use of emotional support scale than hypertensive subjects with normal left ventricular mass index (median values: 1.5 vs. 2; p=0.041). Discussion: In our study group, hypertensive patients with HMOD preferred different coping styles and strategies than individuals with hypertension, but without vascular and cardiac damage. The mechanism underlying these differences is probably complex. Conclusions: HMOD may be associated with coping styles and strategies, but further research is necessary to fully understand the results of this study

Neurological symptoms in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 and their association with in-hospital mortality

Objectives. To evaluate the spectrum of neurological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 during the first 14 days of hospitalisation and its association with in-hospital mortality. Material and methods. We included 200 patients with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to University Hospital in Krakow, Poland. In 164 patients, a detailed questionnaire concerning neurological symptoms and signs was performed prospectively within 14 days of hospitalisation. In the remaining 36 patients, such questionnaires were completed retrospectively based on daily observations in the Department of Neurology. Results. During hospitalisation, 169 patients (84.5%) experienced neurological symptoms; the most common were: fatigue (62.5%), decreased mood (45.5%), myalgia (43.5%), and muscle weakness (42.5%). Patients who died during hospitalisation compared to the remainder were older (79 [70.5–88.5] vs. 63.5 [51–77] years, p = 0.001), and more often had decreased level of consciousness (50.0% vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001), delirium (33.3% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.001), arterial hypotension (50.0% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.005) or stroke during (18.8% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.026) or before hospitalisation (50.0% vs. 7.1, p < 0.001), whereas those who survived more often suffered from headache (42.1% vs. 0%, p = 0.012) or decreased mood (51.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.003). Conclusions. Most hospitalised patients with COVID-19 experience neurological symptoms. Decreased level of consciousness, delirium, arterial hypotension, and stroke during or before hospitalisation increase the risk of in-hospital mortality

Czy czas zawsze leczy rany? Objawy, konsekwencje i odległe następstwa stresu pourazowego

Does time always heal all wounds? Symptoms, consequences and distant effects of post-traumatic stressThe modern world is not a peaceful planet. In many places on earth there are still long-term ongoing military conflicts, exposing the huge crowds of soldiers and civilians to the horrors of modern warfare. Survivors retain the effects of these traumatic events in their minds for a long time. The world is not free from many natural disasters that despite impressive growth techniques are still unavoidable and unpredictable. People who have experienced an extremely traumatic event – participants of wars, survivors of concentration camps, prisoners of war, experiencing life-threatening  symptoms, victims of assault, rape, domestic violence, victims of traffic accidents, as well as victims of natural disasters (earthquakes, fires) for many years, sometimes till the end of their lives experience severe consequences of these traumatic events. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves a group of symptoms such as intrusive reminders of trauma, symptoms of depression and anxiety, loss of initiative, lack of perspective on life, social withdrawal, symptoms of uncontrolled arousal. In such groups, more likely than in those without PTSD, one is likely to come across somatic disorders, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, glucose and lipid abnormalities, substance abuse.

Czy czas zawsze leczy rany? Objawy, konsekwencje i odległe następstwa stresu pourazowego

Does time always heal all wounds? Symptoms, consequences and distant effects of post-traumatic stressThe modern world is not a peaceful planet. In many places on earth there are still long-term ongoing military conflicts, exposing the huge crowds of soldiers and civilians to the horrors of modern warfare. Survivors retain the effects of these traumatic events in their minds for a long time. The world is not free from many natural disasters that despite impressive growth techniques are still unavoidable and unpredictable. People who have experienced an extremely traumatic event – participants of wars, survivors of concentration camps, prisoners of war, experiencing life-threatening  symptoms, victims of assault, rape, domestic violence, victims of traffic accidents, as well as victims of natural disasters (earthquakes, fires) for many years, sometimes till the end of their lives experience severe consequences of these traumatic events. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves a group of symptoms such as intrusive reminders of trauma, symptoms of depression and anxiety, loss of initiative, lack of perspective on life, social withdrawal, symptoms of uncontrolled arousal. In such groups, more likely than in those without PTSD, one is likely to come across somatic disorders, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, glucose and lipid abnormalities, substance abuse.