Case Control Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Sep 6, 2023; 11(25): 5870-5877
Published online Sep 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i25.5870
Risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder among young and middle-aged cancer patients in the intensive care unit: A case-control study
Lei Chen, Guo-Zhou Wang, Yuan-Yuan Chi, Jing Zhao
Lei Chen, Intensive Care Unit, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
Guo-Zhou Wang, Yuan-Yuan Chi, Department of Intensive Care Unit, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
Jing Zhao, Nursing Department, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
Author contributions: Chen L designed the study; Chen L and Wang GZ analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript; Chi YY and Wang GZ performed the research; Zhao J supervised the study. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital (Approval No. bc2023050).
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement—checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jing Zhao, MD, RN, Deputy Director, Department of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, West Huan-Hu Road, Ti Yuan Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin 300060, China. chl-415@163.com
Received: May 21, 2023
Peer-review started: May 21, 2023
First decision: June 1, 2023
Revised: June 13, 2023
Accepted: August 9, 2023
Article in press: August 9, 2023
Published online: September 6, 2023
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Young and middle-aged cancer patients in intensive care unit (ICU) often suffer from stress and pressure from many aspects, causing huge physical and mental damage. Currently, there is few research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among young and middle-aged cancer patients in ICU in China, and the psychological status of patients who have experienced both cancer development and ICU stay is still unclear.

Research motivation

Few literatures in China have described PTSD in young and middle-aged patients who have experienced both malignancy development and ICU admission. Here we investigated the occurrence of PTSD and its relevant risk factors in young and middle-aged cancer patients in the ICU, in an attempt to provide new evidence for the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Research objectives

To explore the risk factors for PTSD in young and middle-aged patients with cancer in ICU.

Research methods

Using convenient sampling method, we enrolled 150 young and middle-aged patients with cancer who were admitted to the ICU of our center during the period from July to December 2020. The general data of the patients and PTSD-related indicators were collected. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was used for assessing PTSD one month after the discharge from the ICU. Binary Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the independent risk factors for PTSD in these patients.

Research results

Among these 150 patients, 32 (21.33%) were found to have PTSD. Binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that factors significantly associated with PTSD among young and middle-aged patients with cancer in ICU included monthly income (OR = 0.24, P = 0.02), planned transfers (OR = 0.208, P = 0.019), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score (OR = 1.171, P = 0.003).

Research conclusions

PTSD in young and middle-aged cancer patients in the ICU can lead to varying degrees of psychological distress and mental disorders, which can seriously reduce patients' quality of life after hospital discharge. Without timely diagnosis and management, these problems can further affect the long-term prognosis of the patients. It was found in our study that low monthly income, unplanned transfers, and increased APACHE II score were the risk factors for PTSD in young and middle-aged cancer patients in the ICU.

Research perspectives

Young and middle-aged cancer patients suffer from more serious psychological pain and often bear greater psychological burdens, which cause additional damage to patients' physical and mental health. Therefore, understanding the occurrence and influencing factors of PTSD is crucial for these patients.