Cuidado informado en trauma: un modelo emergente para el abordaje del subtipo depresivo con historia de adversdad infantil / Informed care in trauma: an emerging model for the depression subtype with a history of childhood adversity

Resumen Las experiencias infantiles adversas (EIAs) son un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de las patologías mentales más prevalentes en la vida adulta, entre las que se incluye la depresión, y se asocian a una presentación clínica más compleja y severa que requiere de un abordaje diferenciado. En Chile, la depresión cuenta con garantías explícitas en salud y una guía ministerial de recomendaciones. Un 90% de los pacientes son tratados en la atención primaria de salud (APS). Un tercio de las muestras depresivas consultantes en la APS de la VII Región presenta una sintomatología caracterizada por mayor suicidalidad, exposición a EIAs e historia de violencia doméstica. Estos pacientes requieren de un tratamiento diferenciado que incorpore, al manejo de la depresión, los conocimientos de las consecuencias del trauma psíquico. Los resultados del Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, los hallazgos neurobiológicos derivados del estrés tóxico y el modelo de cuidado informado en trauma constituyen marcos de referencia que orientan la práctica clínica en consultantes con historia de EIAs en el contexto de los servicios de salud. El objetivo de este trabajo es revisar estas líneas conceptuales, en un intento por reformular un abordaje clínico y encauzar la investigación de este subgrupo de pacientes depresivos.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a risk factor for the development of the most prevalent mental disorders in adulthood, including major depression, and are associated with a more complex clinical presentation and increased severity, which requires a unique approach. In Chile, depression is subject to explicit legal mandates ensuring access to and guidelines for clinical care issued by the government. Ninety percent of depressed patients are treated in primary care. A third of primary patients presenting with depression in the VII Region are characterized by increased suicidality and histories of exposure to ACEs and violence within the family. These patients require a specialized treatment that incorporates research findings in the field of trauma, as applied to the treatment of depression. Together, results from the ACE Study, neurobiological evidence from exposure to toxic stress and the model of trauma-informed care comprise a framework that can orient clinical practice in healthcare settings. The purpose of this article is to review the literature with the goal of update the clinical approach and suggest future research in this subgroup of depressed patients.

Depresión adulta y experiencias infantiles adversas: evidencia de un subtipo depresivo complejo en consultantes de la atención primaria en Chile / Association between adverse childhood experiences with depression in adults consulting in primary care

Background: Traumatic experiences during childhood may influence the development of mental disorders during adulthood. Aim: To determine clinical and psychosocial variables that are associated with a higher frequency of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in patients who consult for depression in Primary Health Care clinics in Chile. Material and Methods: A socio-demographic interview, the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI), a screening for ACE, a questionnaire for partner violence (PV), the Life Experiences Survey (LES) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRDS) were applied to 394 patients with major depression (87% women). Results: Eighty two percent of patients had experienced at least one ACE and 43% of them reported three or more. Positive correlations were observed between the number of ACE and severity of depressive symptoms (r = 0.19; p < 0.01), psychiatric comorbidities (r = 0.23; p < 0.01), partner violence events (r = 0.31; p < 0.01), vital stressful events (r = 0.12; p < 0.01), number of depressive episodes (r = 0.16; p < 0.01), duration of the longer depressive episode (r = 0.12; p < 0.05) and suicidal tendency according to HDRS (r = 0.16; p < 0.01). An inverse correlation was observed between frequency of ACE and age at the first depressive episode (r = -0.12; p < 0.05). Conclusions: These data are consistent with the hypothesis that early trauma is associated with more severe and complex depressive episodes during adulthood.

Depresión y trauma temprano: hacia una caracterización clínica de perfiles de consulta en un servicio de salud secundario / Depression and early trauma: towards a characterization of clinical profiles of consultation in a secondary mental health service

Patients with depression maltreated during childhood differ from those depressive patients without this background. In patients with early trauma the disease emerges earlier, it is more severe and does not respond to the classical antidepressant therapy. Despite this evidence, research regarding the clinical conceptualization and approach to these patients is still limited. The above becomes relevant in Chile, considering the high prevalence of depression and history of adverse childhood events among Chilean depressive consulting health services. Based on the conceptualization of complex Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the overall objective of this article is to propose a conceptualization to the clinical characteristics presented in depressive patients with early abuse, who consult in a mental health service. We propose that in all these patients it needs to inquire actively about history of early adverse events, patterns of interpersonal difficulties, psychiatric comorbidity with emphasis on PTSD features and presence of dissociative symptoms. According to which of the areas is the most important to understand the reason of consultation and considering the observation of 41 patients treated in the context of the Psychic Tauma Unit in the Curicó Hospital, we postulate the existence of the following profiles: depressive, posttraumatic and dissociative. The main clinical characteristics of each profile are presented with a therapeutic approach.

Existe suficiente evidencia que constata que los antecedentes de maltrato infantil se asocian al desarrollo de un subtipo depresivo en la vida adulta, de mayor severidad, cronicidad y peor respuesta a la terapia antidepresiva clásica. La conceptualización respecto a la clínica y al abordaje que requiere este subtipo ha sido poco sistematizada. En Chile, lo anterior adquiere relevancia dada la alta prevalencia de antecedentes de maltrato infantil en consultantes por depresión en los servicios de salud. Partiendo de la conceptualización que engloba la nosología de Estrés post-traumático (TEPT) complejo, el objetivo general de este artículo es proponer una posible caracterización de pacientes con depresión y trauma temprano en un servicio de salud secundario. Se plantea para el reconocimiento de esta clínica diferenciada, en el nivel secundario, que en la primera consulta en todos los pacientes depresivos, se indaguen activamente las siguientes variables: historia de eventos adversos tempranos, patrón de dificultades interpersonales, comorbilidad psiquiátrica con énfasis en la pesquisa activa de la clínica de cuadros ansiosos específicamente TEPT y presencia de síntomas o trastornos disociativos. Según cuál de las variables clínicas previamente expuestas, permite comprender mejor el motivo de consulta actual, y de acuerdo a la observación de 42 pacientes en la Unidad de Trauma del Hospital de Curicó postulamos la existencia de los siguientes perfiles de consulta en estos pacientes: depresivo, postraumático y disociativo. Se plantean las características clínicas centrales que pudiese caracterizar a cada uno de estos perfiles y el probable abordaje terapéutico

Respuesta de los centros de atención primaria en salud mental después del terremoto y tsunami del 2010 en la Región del Maule / Response of primary care teams to manage mental health problems after the 2010 earthquake

Background: Thirty to 50% of people exposed to a natural disaster suffer psychological problems in the ensuing months. Aim: To characterize the activities in mental health developed by Primary Health Care centers after the earthquake that affected Chile on february 27th, 2010. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study analyzing 16 urban centers of Maule Region, was carried out. A questionnaire was developed to know the preparatory and supportive activities directed to the community and the training and self-care activities directed to Health Care personnel that were made during the 12 months following the catastrophe. In addition, a questionnaire evaluating structural aspects was designed. Results: Only 1/3 of the centers made some preparatory activity and none of them made a diagnosis of population vulnerability. The average of protective Mental Health interventions coverage reached 35% of the population estimated to be most affected. The activities lasted 31 to 62% of the optimal duration standards set by experts (according to the type of action). Important differences between centers in economic and geographical accessibility, construction and professional resources were found. Conclusions: This study shows the difficulties faced by urban centers of Maule Region to deal with mental health problems caused by the earthquake, which were attributable to the absence of local planning and drills, and to the lack of intra and inter sectorial coordination.