title: C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptomology in urban police officers.
abstract: Our aim was to examine the relationship between the level of the inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology in a random sample of 115 police officers. CRP was measured in citrated plasma using a particle enhanced immunonepholometric assay and IL-6 was measured in serum with a solid-phase quantitative sandwich ELISA. The presence of high PTSD symptomology was defined as having an Impact of Event Scale score (IES) of ≥ 26 compared to<26 (low PTSD symptomology). 28% of the officers had high PTSD symptomology. Mean levels of CRP and IL-6 did not differ significantly between officers with high PTSD symptomology and those with low symptomology (CRP: 0.76 mg/l vs. 0.97 mg/l; IL-6: 2.03 pg/ml vs. 1.74 pg/ml). We found no association of CRP and IL-6 levels with PTSD symptomology. This study was limited by sample size and its cross-sectional study design. A lack of association may occur if either CRP or IL-6 is elevated only at the onset of PTSD symptomology, or if inflammation is related to specific key components that define PTSD. Further research examining these relationships in a larger population may be worthwhile.
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. eim4@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Erin C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: McCanlies
authors.forename: Sewit Kesete
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Araia
authors.forename: Parveen Nedra
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mnatsakanova
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: Cecil M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Burchfiel
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Violanti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D002947:Cities; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D016495:Police; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein