Trial reportBMJ open2022
Internet-based cognitive-behavioural writing therapy for reducing post-traumatic stress after severe sepsis in patients and their spouses (REPAIR): results of a randomised-controlled trial.
Trial report in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of eHealth interventions on psychological outcomes of post intensive care syndrome-family: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- [S3 guideline on sepsis-prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up care-update 2025].Medizinische Klinik, Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin · 2025Guideline
- Effectiveness of digital interventions on relationship satisfaction among couples: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of targeted post-acute interventions and follow-up services for sepsis survivors: a systematic review.Critical care (London, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Trauma-focused guided self-help interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Depression and anxiety · 2022Pooled it
- Cognitive Health and Quality of Life After Surviving Sepsis: A Narrative Review.Journal of intensive care medicine · 2026Review
- Digital Health Interventions for Family Members of ICU Patients: Current Evidence and Future Directions.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Interventions to improve mental health in caregivers of adult intensive care patients: a systematic review.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- The Effects of Digital Health Interventions for Family Members in Intensive Care Units: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Review
- Feasibility and acceptability of remote technologies for the treatment of trauma- and stressor-related disorders in adults: mixed-methods systematic review.BJPsych open · 2025Review
- Value-Based Experiences Related to Digital Follow-Up Services Among Critical Care Survivors: An International Qualitative Study.Nursing & health sciences · 2025Article
- The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2024.Journal of intensive care · 2025Article
- Digital Health Interventions Supporting Recovery for Intensive Care Patients and Their Family Members: A Scoping Review.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Digital health · 2025Review
- How are Long-Covid, Post-Sepsis-Syndrome and Post-Intensive-Care-Syndrome related? A conceptional approach based on the current research literature.Critical care (London, England) · 2024Review
- Post-sepsis psychiatric disorder: Pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024Review
- From the Intensive Care Unit to Recovery: Managing Post-intensive Care Syndrome in Critically Ill Patients.Cureus · 2024Review
- The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2024.Acute medicine & surgeryArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo investigate the efficacy, safety and applicability of internet-based, therapist-led partner-assisted cognitive-behavioural writing therapy (iCBT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after intensive care for sepsis in patients and their spouses compared with a waitlist (WL) control group.
designRandomised-controlled, parallel group, open-label, superiority trial with concealed allocation.
settingInternet-based intervention in Germany; location-independent via web-portal.
participantsPatients after intensive care for sepsis and their spouses of whom at least one had a presumptive PTSD diagnosis (PTSD-Checklist (PCL-5)≥33). Initially planned sample size: 98 dyads.
interventionsICBT group: 10 writing assignments over a 5-week period; WL control group: 5-week waiting period. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome: pre-post change in PTSD symptom severity (PCL-5). SECONDARY OUTCOMES: remission of PTSD, depression, anxiety and somatisation, relationship satisfaction, health-related quality of life, premature termination of treatment. Outcomes measures were applied pre and post treatment and at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up.
resultsTwenty-five dyads representing 34 participants with a presumptive PTSD diagnosis were randomised and analysed (ITT principle). There was no evidence for a difference in PCL-5 pre-post change for iCBT compared with WL (mean difference -0.96, 95% CI (-5.88 to 3.97), p=0.703). No adverse events were reported. Participants confirmed the applicability of iCBT.
conclusionsICBT was applied to reduce PTSD symptoms after intensive care for sepsis, for the first time addressing both patients and their spouses. It was applicable and safe in the given population. There was no evidence for the efficacy of iCBT on PTSD symptom severity. Due to the small sample size our findings remain preliminary but can guide further research, which is needed to determine if modified approaches to post-intensive care PTSD may be more effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00010676.
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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.