Background: Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in family members of patients who have died in the ICU.
Research question: Could a pamphlet describing the role of relatives in the end-of-life decision decrease their risk of developing PTSD-related symptoms?
Study design and methods: In this assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial, 90 relatives of adult patients for whom an end-of-life decision was anticipated were enrolled. Relatives were randomly assigned to receive oral information as well as an information pamphlet explaining that the end-of-life decision is made by physicians (Group 1; n = 45) or oral information alone (Group 2; n = 45). PTSD-related symptoms were blindly assessed at 90 days following the patient's death by using the Impact of Event Scale (scores range from 0 [indicating no symptoms] to 75 [indicating severe symptoms]). Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score (range, 0-21 [higher scores indicate worse symptoms]).
Results: On day 90, the number of relatives with PTSD-related symptoms was significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2: 18 of 45 vs 33 of 45 (P = .001). The risk ratio of having PTSD-related symptoms in Group 2 compared with Group 1 was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.2-2.7). The mean Impact of Event Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores were significantly reduced in Group 1 compared with Group 2: 28 ± 10 vs 38 ± 14 (P < .001) and 13 ± 5 vs 17 ± 8 (P = .023), respectively.
Interpretation: An information pamphlet describing the relatives' role during end-of-life decisions significantly reduced their risk of developing PTSD-related symptoms.
Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT02329418; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov).
Keywords: end-of-life; family; intensive care; pamphlet; posttraumatic stress disorders; treatment, withdrawing; treatment, withholding.
Copyright © 2021 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.