title: Association of elevated cytokines with childhood adversity in a sample of healthy adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood trauma has been associated adult stress-related disorders. However, little is known about physiologic alterations in adults with a history of early life trauma that do not have current psychiatric or medical diagnoses. In this study, the relationships between childhood adversity and cytokine and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in healthy adults were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included men (n = 18) and women (n = 20) who did not meet DSM-IV criteria for Axis I psychiatric disorders or any major medical illness. Cytokine and CRP levels were obtained from baseline blood samples. Subjects completed the Early Trauma Inventory Self Report (ETI-SR). The primary outcomes included serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL1-β), and CRP levels. In addition, the mean numbers of traumatic experiences (sexual, physical, emotional, general, and the summed total) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant positive associations were found between the total ETI score and IL-6 (p = 0.05), IL1-β (p < 0.05), and TNF-α (p = 0.01). Significant positive correlations were found between the number of general traumas and IL1-β (p < 0.05), TNF-α (p < 0.05), and IL-6 (p < 0.01). Neither the total number of traumas nor any of the trauma subscales were significantly associated with CRP levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive association between childhood trauma and basal cytokine levels supports the extant literature demonstrating the long-term impact of childhood trauma and stress on homeostatic systems. Importantly, this association was found in healthy adults, suggesting that these alterations may precede the development of significant stress-related psychiatric disorder or disease.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Clinical Neuroscience Division, Medical University of South Carolina, 125 Doughty Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
authors: Karen J
authors: KJ
authors: Hartwell
authors: Megan M
authors: MM
authors: Moran-Santa Maria
authors: Waleed O
authors: WO
authors: Twal
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Shaftman
authors: Stacia M
authors: SM
authors: DeSantis
authors: Aimee L
authors: AL
authors: McRae-Clark
authors: Kathleen T
authors: KT
authors: Brady
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein