PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Georgina Corbet Burcher
AU  - Maria D Picouto
AU  - Lorraine C Als
AU  - Mehrengise Cooper
AU  - Christine M Pierce
AU  - Simon Nadel
AU  - M Elena Garralda
TI  - Post-traumatic stress after PICU and corticosteroid use
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2017-314157
DP  - 2018 Sep 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 887--889
VI  - 103
IP  - 9
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/103/9/887.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/103/9/887.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2018 Sep 01; 103
AB  - Aim To examine the association between corticosteroid use in paediatric intensive care units (PICU) and subsequent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods The subjects were children aged 8–16 years admitted to PICU with sepsis, meningoencephalitis (ME) and other disorders. Illness information was extracted from case notes; 3–6 months post discharge children completed a PTSD symptom questionnaire (eight-item Impact of Events Scale (IES-8)) assessing intrusion and avoidance symptoms. Saliva samples were also collected for cortisol profile analysis.Results 53 children completed the IES-8 questionnaires. 33 provided saliva samples. 19 (36%) received corticosteroids. In children with sepsis (n=15), corticosteroid use was associated with significantly lower PTSD intrusion symptom scores. There was a trend towards an association between corticosteroid use and lower evening cortisol levels. There was a comparable but weaker trend in children with ME.Discussion Corticosteroid use may be associated with fewer PTSD symptoms and lower evening cortisol levels following PICU admission in children with sepsis.