PICTURE Study
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The DFG study on post-traumatic stress after intensive medical care "PICTURE - PTSD after ICU Survival, Caring for Patients with Traumatic Stress Sequelae following Intensive Medical Care" began in 2018. It is being conducted at the LMU Klinikum Munich and Charité Berlin study sites. We are able to reach and involve patients and their GPs throughout Germany through telephone support and live online training for doctors. Both affected patients and GPs who would like to treat suitable patients better can contact us to take part in the study.
After being discharged from an intensive care unit, patients often develop psychological impairments. Post-traumatic stress symptoms can occur in every third to fifth patient. As these psychological stresses often go unrecognized and untreated, the PICTURE study is investigating how GPs can help their affected patients through structured diagnostics and adapted care. Care could be further improved with a new trauma-focused narrative therapy (NET) developed specifically for GP practices. In order to scientifically prove the effect of the newly developed NET intervention against the improved standard treatment, patients are randomly assigned to one of the two forms of treatment.
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- Gensichen J, Schmidt KFR, Sanftenberg L, Kosilek RP, Friemel CM, Beutel A, Dohmann J, Heintze C, Prescott HC, Reips U-D, Schauer M, Lindemann D, Brettschneider C, Dreischulte T, Zwißler B, Elbert T on behalf of the PUCTURE study group. Effects of a general practitioner-led brief narrative exposure intervention on symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after intensive care (PICTURE): multicentre, observer blind, randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2025;389:e082092. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2024-082092.
- Beutel A, Sanftenberg L, Friemel CM, Kosilek RP, Schauer M, Elbert T, Reips UD, Schubert T, Gehrke-Beck S, Schmidt K, Gensichen J; PICTURE study group. Patient perspectives on stress after ICU and a short primary care based psychological intervention - results from a qualitative sub-study of the PICTURE trial. BMC Prim Care. 2025 Jan 15;26(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12875-024-02698-6.
- Sanftenberg L, Krevet J, Kosilek RP, Lindemann D, Schmidt K, Heintze C, Elbert T, Schauer M, Reips U-D, Gensichen J, for the PICTURE study group. Patient with symptoms of post-traumatic stress after intensive care - a case report of the PICTURE study. ZFA 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44266-023-00167-4
- Sanftenberg L, Beutel A, Friemel CM, Kosilek RP, Schauer M, Elbert T, Reips UD, Gehrke-Beck S, Schubert T, Schmidt K, Gensichen J; PICTURE-study team. Barriers and opportunities for implementation of a brief psychological intervention for post-ICU mental distress in the primary care setting - results from a qualitative sub-study of the PICTURE trial. BMC Prim Care. 2023 May 6;24(1):113. doi: 10.1186/s12875-023-02046-0.
