Elevated blood levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate vary with symptom load in posttraumatic stress disorder: findings from a longitudinal study of refugees in Sweden.
BACKGROUND
The present study is part of a longitudinal study of recently resettled refugees with the aim of learning which factors in their daily life influence health as measured by self-report and stress-responsive hormones.


METHODS
In a group of recently resettled refugees with a high incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), diagnosed by structured interview, self-rated symptoms of PTSD were followed three times over a period of 9 months after inclusion in the study. Eighty-six individuals were included in the study and 58 subjects (67.4%) completed it. Blood samples were drawn at each examination for assessment of hormone levels.


RESULTS
After adjustment for age, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-s) was observed to be higher in non-depressed PTSD cases than in non-PTSD without depression. There was an interaction between PTSD and depression regarding DHEA-s levels. DHEA-s correlated significantly with changes in self-rated symptoms of PTSD at last follow-up; the greater the increase in PTSD symptoms, the greater the increase in plasma DHEA-s. The variation of DHEA-s levels in relation to changes in self-rated health in non-PTSD showed the opposite pattern, although not reaching significance.


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of changes in DHEA-s should encourage further studies of the role of altered steroid metabolism in PTSD.
CTD (Center for Torture and Trauma Survivors), Karolinska Vägen, Stockholm, Sweden. hans.peter.sondergaard@phs.ki.se
Hans Peter
HP
Söndergaard
Lars-Olof
LO
Hansson
Töres
T
Theorell
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013548:Sweden
D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate