title: Posttraumatic stress disorder and not depression is associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length: findings from 3,000 participants in the population-based KORA F4 study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A link between severe mental stress and shorter telomere length (TL) has been suggested. We analysed the impact of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on TL in the general population and postulated a dose-dependent TL association in subjects suffering from partial PTSD compared to full PTSD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are derived from the population-based KORA F4 study (2006-2008), located in southern Germany including 3,000 individuals (1,449 men and 1,551 women) with valid and complete TL data. Leukocyte TL was measured using a quantitative PCR-based technique. PTSD was assessed in a structured interview and by applying the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). A total of 262 (8.7%) subjects qualified for having partial PTSD and 51 (1.7%) for full PTSD. To assess the association of PTSD with the average TL, linear regression analyses with adjustments for potential confounding factors were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multiple model revealed a significant association between partial PTSD and TL (beta = -0.051, p = 0.009) as well as between full PTSD and shorter TL (beta = -0.103, p = 0.014) indicating shorter TL on average for partial and full PTSD. An additional adjustment for depression and depressed mood/exhaustion gave comparable beta estimations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants with partial and full PTSD had significantly shorter leukocyte TL than participants without PTSD. The dose-dependent variation in TL of subjects with partial and full PTSD exceeded the chronological age effect, and was equivalent to an estimated 5 years in partial and 10 years in full PTSD of premature aging.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ladwig
authors.forename: Anne Catharina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Brockhaus
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumert
authors.forename: Karoline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lukaschek
authors.forename: Rebecca T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Emeny
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.forename: Veryan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Codd
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Häfner
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Illig
authors.forename: Nilesh J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Samani
authors.forename: H Erich
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gieger
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D059506:Telomere Shortening