title: Abnormal ECG patterns in chronic post-war PTSD patients: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric syndrome associated with high levels of sympathetic activation of the autonomic nervous system. Individuals diagnosed with PTSD have a high propensity for electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, atrioventricular conductive defects, and cerebrovascular incidents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate ECG abnormalities in post-war PTSD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study compared patients diagnosed with chronic post-war PTSD (n = 30) to patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD; n = 24) and healthy controls (n = 20). Following the completion of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM (SCID), participants were assessed with a standard 12-lead ECG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ECG abnormalities were observed in 66.7% of PTSD patients and 70.8% of MDD patients. In contrast, only 28.6% of the healthy control group showed ECG abnormalities. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for participants' sex, smoking rate, education level, disease duration, and marital status. The results indicated that PTSD and MDD patients were more likely to have ECG abnormalities than the normal population (odds ratio for PTSD = 12.7, 95% confidence interval 1.9-83.9; and odds ratio for MDD = 14.9, 95% confidence interval 1.3-170.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTSD and MDD patients showed elevated rates of ECG abnormalities compared to healthy controls. These findings have important implications for the medical treatment of PTSD and MDD given that both of these patient groups appear to be at increased risk of cardiovascular disorder.
authors.affiliation: Sleep Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Farabi Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), PO Box 6719851151, Kermanshah, Iran. hakhazaie@gmail.com
authors.forename: Habibolah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khazaie
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.forename: Amir Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sepehry
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Mahin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Najafi
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Parvizi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samadzadeh
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tahmasian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014857:Warfare