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Post‐traumatic stress disorder and prediction of aggression in persons with dementia
Author(s) -
Ball Valdesha L.,
Hudson Sonora,
Davila Jessica,
Morgan Robert,
Walder Annette,
Graham David P.,
Snow Andrea L.,
Kunik Mark E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.2258
Subject(s) - dementia , aggression , psychiatry , medicine , cohort , prospective cohort study , poison control , traumatic stress , clinical psychology , psychology , disease , emergency medicine
Objective This prospective cohort study evaluated the potential of increased aggression in patients with dementia who had a preexisting diagnosis of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared with those without a diagnosis of PTSD. Methods Patients more than 60 years of age with newly diagnosed dementia between 2001 and 2004 were identified from the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Houston, TX. Among these patients, we identified patients with a preexisting diagnosis of PTSD. The proportions of patients who became aggressive within 2 years of enrollment were compared in patients with and without PTSD. Fisher's exact tests were used to compare differences in the number of PTSD patients with and without aggression. Results A total of 215 patients were identified with newly diagnosed dementia. Ten were found to have a diagnosis of PTSD, and 205 did not. Eighty‐four (41%) of the 205 were found to be aggressive. Among the 10 patients with a diagnosis of PTSD, 4 (40%) were aggressive. Conclusion There was no evidence to support an increased risk of aggression in patients with a coexisting diagnosis of dementia and PTSD. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.