Elevated levels of serum interleukin-1 beta in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.
Levels of serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were assessed in 19 male patients with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in comparison to 19 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Serum IL-1 beta levels (but not sIL-2R) were significantly higher (p < .001) in the PTSD patients than in the controls. IL-1 beta levels did not correlate with cortisol levels, severity of PTSD, anxiety, depressive symptoms, or alexithymia score; however, they did correlate significantly (r = .54, p < .005) with the duration of PTSD symptoms. It is possible that desensitization of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in chronic PTSD patients counteracts the stimulatory effect of IL-1 beta on cortisol secretion.
Spivak
B
B
Research Unit, Ness Ziona Mental Health Center, Israel.
Shohat
B
B
Mester
R
R
Avraham
S
S
Gil-Ad
I
I
Bleich
A
A
Valevski
A
A
Weizman
A
A
D000328:Adult; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D006854:Hydrocortisone