Heart rate as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder in children

Richard A Bryant; Karen Salmon; Emma Sinclair; Patricia Davidson

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2006.10.002

Heart rate as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder in children

Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2007 Jan-Feb;29(1):66-8. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2006.10.002.

Authors

Richard A Bryant¹, Karen Salmon, Emma Sinclair, Patricia Davidson

Affiliation

¹ School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia. [email protected]

PMID: 17189749
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2006.10.002

Abstract

Objective: This study indexed the relationship between resting heart rates (HRs) after injury and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children.

Method: Children aged between 7 and 12 years who were hospitalized after traumatic injury (n=76) had their resting HR assessed after injury and were assessed for PTSD 6 months after injury (n=62).

Results: Full/subsyndromal PTSD was diagnosed in 27% of children. Children with full/subsyndromal PTSD had higher HRs after trauma than those without PTSD. Children with an elevated HR were more likely to develop PTSD after controlling for age, sex and injury severity (adjusted odds ratio=5.89).

Conclusions: These findings accord with the proposal that fear conditioning shortly after trauma contributes to PTSD in children.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
Female
Heart Rate / physiology*
Humans
Male
Prevalence
Severity of Illness Index
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
Tachycardia / diagnosis
Tachycardia / epidemiology*