Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33971951›Full record

Trial reportBMC research notes2021

A simple cognitive task intervention to prevent intrusive memories after trauma in patients in the Emergency Department: A randomized controlled trial terminated due to COVID-19.

Marie Kanstrup, Laura Singh, Katarina E Göransson, Beau Gamble, Rod S Taylor, Lalitha Iyadurai, Michelle L Moulds, Emily A Holmes

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC research notes, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04185155 (Preventing Intrusive Memories After Trauma Via a Simple Cognitive Intervention in the Hospital Emergency Department), which is not on this map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04185155 naterminatednot on this map

Preventing Intrusive Memories After Trauma Via a Simple Cognitive Intervention in the Hospital Emergency Department: "EKUT" (Enkel Kognitiv Uppgift Efter Trauma) - A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

TypeinterventionalSponsorKarolinska InstitutetRan2019 to 2020Enrolled16ConditionsPost Traumatic Stress DisorderArmsSimple cognitive task, Attention placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Marie Kanstrup *Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden. marie.kanstrup@ki.se.
Laura Singh *Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, 751 42, Uppsala, Sweden. laura.singh@psyk.uu.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0148-7247
Katarina E GöranssonEmergency and Reparative Medicine Theme, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Beau GambleDepartment of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, 751 42, Uppsala, Sweden.
Rod S TaylorMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit & Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Well Being, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Lalitha IyaduraiDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Michelle L MouldsSchool of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Australia.
Emily A HolmesDivision of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
Uppsala University · SEKarolinska University Hospital · SEMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit · GBUniversity of Oxford · GBUNSW Sydney · AU

Funding

Oak Foundation OCAY-18-442Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung P2BEP1_184378Vetenskapsrådet (SE) 2017-00957
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to investigate the effects of a simple cognitive task intervention on intrusive memories ("flashbacks") and associated symptoms following a traumatic event. Patients presenting to a Swedish emergency department (ED) soon after a traumatic event were randomly allocated (1:1) to the simple cognitive task intervention (memory cue + mental rotation instructions + computer game "Tetris" for at least 20 min) or control (podcast, similar time). We planned follow-ups at one-week, 1-month, and where possible, 3- and 6-months post-trauma. Anticipated enrolment was N = 148.

resultsThe RCT was terminated prematurely after recruiting N = 16 participants. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented recruitment/testing in the ED because: (i) the study required face-to-face contact between participants, psychology researchers, ED staff, and patients, incurring risk of virus transmission; (ii) the host ED site received COVID-19 patients; and (iii) reduced flow of patients otherwise presenting to the ED in non-pandemic conditions (e.g. after trauma). We report on delivery of study procedures, recruitment, treatment adherence, outcome completion (primary outcome: number of intrusive memories during week 5), attrition, and limitations. The information presented and limitations may enable our group and others to learn from this terminated study. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04185155 (04-12-2019).

Indexed as

COVID-19Stress Disorders, Post-TraumaticCognitionEmergency Service, HospitalHumansSARS-CoV-2Behavioural interventionCOVID-19Emergency DepartmentIntrusive memoriesPreventionPsychological traumaRCTTerminated study

Identifiers

PMID33971951
PMCPMC8107806
OpenAlexW3160746161

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.