title: Serum concentrations of TNF-α and its soluble receptors during psychotherapy in German soldiers suffering from combat-related PTSD.
abstract: Changes in serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and its soluble receptors (sTNF-R) p55 and p75 have been shown to be associated with various psychiatric treatments.
  
  
  
  Before and after treatment, serum levels of TNF-α, sTNF-R p55 and sTNF-R p75 were measured in 38 German soldiers who had been deployed abroad and suffered from combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients were randomized either to inpatient psychotherapy (N=21) including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) or to outpatient clinical management (N=17). Symptoms of PTSD were measured using the Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS).
  
  
  
  The PDS score significantly decreased across time in both groups. Serum concentrations of TNF-α increased, while sTNF-R p55 and sTNF-R p75 levels decreased significantly. After the treatment period, we could not detect any significant difference regarding TNF-α, sTNF-R p55 or sTNF-R p75 levels between the inpatient psychotherapy group and the outpatient clinical management control group.
  
  
  
  This relatively small clinical study suggests that specific inpatient psychotherapy but also non-specific supportive outpatient treatment for PTSD are associated with changes in the TNF-α system. This may represent an immunological effects or side effects of psychotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK, hubertus.himmerich@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Hubertus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Himmerich
authors.forename: Gerd D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Willmund
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Jörg-Egbert
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Antje H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kirkby
authors.forename: Bethan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Lesca M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Holdt
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Teupser
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wesemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D010343:Patient Admission; D011613:Psychotherapy; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D008419:Materia Medica; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha