title: Behavioral health mediators of the link between posttraumatic stress disorder and dyslipidemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked to dyslipidemia, which is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. Although this link is thought to reflect response to heightened stress, behavioral health risks, including smoking, alcohol dependence, and poor sleep quality, may mediate the relationship between PTSD and dyslipidemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  To test this hypothesis, serum lipid levels were collected from 220 young adults (18-39 years old), 103 of whom were diagnosed with PTSD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PTSD and associated depressive symptoms were negatively related to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), p=.04, and positively related to triglyceride (TG) levels, p=.04. Both associations were mediated by cigarette consumption and poor sleep quality, the latter of which accounted for 83% and 93% of the effect of PTSD and depression on HDL-C and TG, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results complement recent findings highlighting the prominence of health behaviors in linking PTSD with cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.affiliation: Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA; Veterans Affairs Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham, NC, 27705, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Christi S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ulmer
authors.affiliation: Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA; Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Region Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA; Veterans Affairs Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham, NC, 27705, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Calhoun
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Lana L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.affiliation: Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.affiliation: Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA; Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Region Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA. Electronic address: jean.beckham@va.gov.
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Beckham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D012907:Smoking; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Cholesterol; Cigarette smoking; Depression; Dyslipidemia; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Sleep