title: Posttraumatic stress disorder and somatic complaints: Contrasting Vietnam and OIF/OEF Veterans' experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To replicate and expand upon the relationship of somatic symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by comparing symptoms among service eras in US Veterans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 226 Vietnam and 132 Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Veterans who were referred to a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital PTSD outpatient clinic between 2005 and 2013. Veterans were administered self-report inventories and a clinical interview to measure somatic symptoms and PTSD severity. A subset of Veterans (n=185) screening positive for PTSD were administered the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) to measure PTSD severity. Multiple moderated linear regressions were used to examine the influence of service era on the relationship between somatic and PTSD symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between service eras in pain severity, pain interference, and total somatic symptoms reported. Vietnam Veterans were more likely to report limb/join pain (p<.05), fainting (p<.01), and shortness of breath (p<.001), whereas OIF/OEF Veterans were more likely to complain of headaches (p<.001). A significant interaction effect occurred between service era and dizziness (p<.05) and chest pain (p<.01), with OIF/OEF Veterans reporting higher levels of these symptoms significantly more likely than Vietnam Veterans to also experience more severe PTSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings are consistent with previous research demonstrating the relationship of somatic symptoms and PTSD across service eras but provide additional data concerning similarities and differences of somatic symptoms between eras. Potential explanations for observed service era differences in somatic symptoms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; University of Michigan Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Bourn
authors.affiliation: VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; University of Michigan Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Minden B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sexton
authors.affiliation: VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; University of Michigan Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Greer A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Raggio
authors.affiliation: VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; University of Michigan Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Sheila A M
authors.initials: SAM
authors.lastname: Rauch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014744:Vietnam
keywords: OIF/OEF; PTSD; Pain; Somatic; Veterans; Vietnam