View clinical trials related to Acute Stress Disorder.
Filter by:Purpose of the Research: The primary aim of the proposed study is to conduct a randomized parallel-group 3-arm clinical trial comparing two mechanistically distinct interventions for pathological anxiety - (1) Interoceptive Exposure (IE) utilizing graduated exposure to somatic cues (respiratory, cardiac, vestibular) with the primary aim of reducing fear responding to the presence of interoceptive perturbations; (2) Capnometry-Guided Respiratory Intervention (CGRI) aimed at raising end-tidal CO2 levels thereby lowering hyperventilation-induced respiratory alkalosis and its associated fear-eliciting somatic reactions; and (3) Psycho-education about anxiety and its effects (PsyEd), which will serve as a credible control comparator.
There is currently no evidence-based intervention for individuals exposed to trauma that is designed to aid recovery and prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This randomized control trial proposes to test a one-time prophylactic treatment for the prevention of symptoms of PTSD and related mental health disturbances and the promotion of resilience using a single dose of hydrocortisone (HCORT) or placebo, administered within six hours of trauma exposure. People at risk for PTSD have demonstrated low cortisol levels before and in the aftermath of traumatic exposures and lower cortisol levels have also been observed in combat veterans with PTSD. Administering HCORT at the time of trauma would help boost the body's natural stress recovery systems to facilitate resilience. Participants who present to the emergency department following trauma exposure and report high distress, panic, anxiety or dissociation will be invited to participate in this clinical trial. 220 trauma survivors will be randomized and recruited at two locations: Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, US, and a civilian/military hospital in Tel Hashomer, Israel. Trauma survivors will be assessed at 2, 6, 12 and 28 weeks post-treatment. HCORT closely resembles cortisol produced in the adrenal glands and released during stress. It is hypothesized that HCORT treatment will result in an accelerated decline in the presence and severity of PTSD and related mental health symptoms compared to the placebo group. Blood samples will be collected for analysis of potential biomarkers to obtain more information about the mechanisms of action of this intervention. The information obtained will be relevant in determining whether early intervention with a single dose of HCORT, compared to placebo, administered within several hours following trauma exposure, will reduce the risk of developing PTSD in trauma survivors.
As part of their work, emergency first responders, such as paramedics and emergency medical dispatchers are exposed daily to traumatic events. These traumatic events can have many impacts on mental health, such as acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Research has shown that intervening early after exposure to a traumatic event helps to identify people at risk and to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder. The Psychological First Aid approach originally developed for mass traumas, is an intervention advocated by international experts today following a traumatic event. However, this approach is still very little studied, especially when it is part of an organization of emergency first responders. It therefore still lacks scientific validity. The main objective of this research will be to assess whether the Psychological First Aid program provided by peer-support workers helps to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping.
A randomized clinical trial 1:1 among relatives of patients admitted to an intensive care unit, the intervention group will be composed by family members who receive a printed brochure and will be encouraged to visit a website detailed information and plain language about the ICU environment and the critically ill patient characteristics. The primary outcome will be the impact of orientations on symptoms of post-traumatic stress, assessed by the IES-R scale. Secondary outcome measures will include symptoms of anxiety and depression at the end of 7 days and after 3 months of follow-up by the HADS scales, the degree of satisfaction of the relatives, through the FS-ICU scale, as well as the association of resilience, through the CD-RISC scale, with the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Police officers, correctional service officers, and 911-operators are at increased risk for suffering from trauma-related disorders due to their direct and indirect exposure to life-threatening events, such as shootings, violent assaults, or car accidents, among others. Typical treatments for post-traumatic stress disorders include psychotherapy and pharmacological therapies (i.e., antidepressants). Although these interventions are effective for many sufferers, they all have limitations. Thus, the investigators propose to explore the usefulness of a new therapeutic technique, reconsolidation blockade, which involves reactivating the trauma memory while under the influence of propranolol. Objectives and hypotheses: To explore the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of reconsolidation blockade therapy as an adjunct treatment for trauma- and stressor-related disorders as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Mental Disorders-5. The investigators hypothesize that, compared to the control group, 5 weekly trauma-memory reactivations under propranolol treatment will confer a significant reduction in trauma-related symptoms and significantly more health-related economic benefits. Stress symptoms and health-related costs will be assessed at 7, 26 and 52 weeks after study inclusion. In this study, the investigators will also explore the effects of reconsolidation blockade with propranolol on various neuropsychological functions.