title: Effects of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder on metabolic risk, quality of life, and stress hormones in aging former refugee children.
abstract: It is still unclear whether the association between traumatic stress and physical disease is mediated by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, we examined the long-term consequences of PTSD on cardiovascular risk, stress hormones, and quality of life in a sample of former refugee children who were severely traumatized more than six decades ago. In 25 subjects with chronic PTSD and 25 trauma-controlled subjects, we measured the variables of metabolic syndrome supplemented by the ankle-brachial index and highly sensitive C-reactive protein. Quality of life was assessed using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. Cortisol, adrenocorticotropin-releasing hormone (ACTH), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were measured using the low-dose-dexamethasone suppression test. In addition, salivary cortisol was assessed at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. We found a significant group effect between participants with and without PTSD regarding quality of life but not in any metabolic parameter including the ankle-brachial index or cortisol, ACTH, and DHEA in plasma before and after dexamethasone or salivary cortisol. The postulated association between traumatic stress and physical illness does not appear to be mediated by PTSD in this population. Nevertheless, the search for subgroups of PTSD patients with childhood traumatization leading to different metabolic and endocrine long-term consequences in aging PTSD patients is needed.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, Germany. cmuhtz@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Muhtz
authors: Kathrin
authors: K
authors: Godemann
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: von Alm
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Wittekind
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Goemann
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Wiedemann
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Yassouridis
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Kellner
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D006854:Hydrocortisone