Metabolic syndrome: relative risk associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity and antipsychotic medication use. Psychosomatics. 2012;53:550-558. [PMID: 23157993 DOI: 10.1016/j.psym.2012.05.005]

Increased Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Veterans with PTSD Untreated with Antipsychotic Medications

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not solely a psychiatric disorder; it also includes significant medical morbidity. Although there is evidence of increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in PTSD, the interpretation of previous studies is confounded by inclusion of people on antipsychotic medications, which independently cause increased MetS. In this study we investigated whether Veterans with PTSD not treated with antipsychotic medications (n=115) demonstrate increased MetS compared to an age-comparable group of people from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNES; n=1005). Using standardized criteria (abnormal values in 3 out of the 5 domains of obesity, hypertension, high density lipoprotein, triglyceride and fasting glucose concentrations) we compared the prevalence of MetS across groups. Relative to the NHNES group, a significantly higher proportion of the Veteran PTSD group met criteria for MetS (26.9% vs. 41.7%) with a higher proportion of abnormal values in four out of five MetS domains (excepting glucose). Our results suggest that the elevation of MetS associated with PTSD cannot be fully explained by iatrogenic effects of antipsychotic medication. We suggest that extra attention be devoted to the clinical management of metabolic risk factors for morbidity in patients with PTSD.

Identifying clusters of health symptoms in deployed military personnel and their relationship with probable PTSD

OBJECTIVE

Among military personnel posttraumatic stress disorder is strongly associated with non-specific health symptoms and can have poor treatment outcomes. This study aimed to use machine learning to identify and describe clusters of self-report health symptoms and examine their association with probable PTSD, other psychopathology, traumatic deployment exposures, and demographic factors.

METHOD

Data were from a large sample of military personnel who deployed to the Middle East (n = 12,566) between 2001 and 2009. Participants completed self-report measures including health symptoms and deployment trauma checklists, and several mental health symptom scales. The data driven machine learning technique of self-organised maps identified health symptom clusters and logistic regression examined their correlates.

RESULTS

Two clusters differentiated by number and severity of health symptoms were identified: a small 'high health symptom cluster' (HHSC; n = 366) and a large 'low health symptom cluster' (LHSC; n = 12,200). The HHSC had significantly higher proportions of (Gates et al., 2012 [1]) scaled scores indicative of PTSD (69% compared with 2% of LHSC members), Unwin et al. (1999a) [2] scores on other psychological scales that were indicative of psychopathology, and (Graham et al., n.d. [3]) deployment trauma. HHSC members with probable PTSD had a stronger relationship with subjective (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.12, 1.40) and environmental (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03, 1.13) traumatic deployment exposures than LHSC members with probable PTSD.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlights that health symptoms are not rare in military veterans, and that PTSD is strongly associated with health symptoms. Results suggest that there may be subtypes of PTSD, differentiated by health symptoms.

Co-Occurrence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease Among Ethnic/Racial Groups in the United States

OBJECTIVE

Trauma and/or symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the exact mechanism has not been determined. We examine whether the risk of CVD is different among those who have a history of trauma without PTSD symptoms, those who have experienced trauma and developed any symptoms of PTSD, and those with a PTSD diagnosis. Furthermore, we examine whether this association varies across ethnic/racial groups.

METHODS

We used two data sets that form part of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys - the National Latino and Asian American Study and the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.

RESULTS

We found an increased likelihood of cardiovascular events for those with a diagnosis of PTSD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.32-3.33) when compared with those who had not experienced trauma. We did not find an increased risk for those who had experienced trauma without symptoms or with subclinical symptoms of PTSD. The higher likelihood of having a cardiovascular event in those with PTSD was significant for non-Latino whites (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.08-3.11), Latinos (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.04-3.62), and non-Latino blacks (OR = 3.73, 95% CI = 1.76-7.91), but not for Asian respondents.

CONCLUSIONS

The constellation of symptoms defining PTSD diagnosis reflect adverse reactions to traumatic events and indicate that complex responses to traumatic events may be a risk factor for CVD.

Metabolic syndrome in psychiatry: advances in understanding and management

Metabolic syndrome comprises a number of cardiovascular risk factors that increase morbidity and mortality. The increase in incidence of the syndrome among psychiatric patients has been unanimously demonstrated in recent studies and it has become one of the greatest challenges in psychiatric practice. Besides the use of psychotropic drugs, factors such as genetic polymorphisms, inflammation, endocrinopathies and unhealthy lifestyle contribute to the association between metabolic syndrome and a number of psychiatric disorders. In this article, we review the current diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome and propose clinically useful guidelines for psychiatrists to identify and monitor patients who may have the syndrome. We also outline the relationship between metabolic syndrome and individual psychiatric disorders, and discuss advances in pharmacological treatment for the syndrome, such as metformin.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

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Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements

BACKGROUND

Military-related post-traumatic stress (PTS) is associated with numerous symptom clusters and diminished autonomic cardiovascular regulation. High-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM®) is a noninvasive, closed-loop, allostatic, acoustic stimulation neurotechnology that produces real-time translation of dominant brain frequencies into audible tones of variable pitch and timing to support the auto-calibration of neural oscillations. We report clinical, autonomic, and functional effects after the use of HIRREM® for symptoms of military-related PTS.

METHODS

Eighteen service members or recent veterans (15 active-duty, 3 veterans, most from special operations, 1 female), with a mean age of 40.9 (SD = 6.9) years and symptoms of PTS lasting from 1 to 25 years, undertook 19.5 (SD = 1.1) sessions over 12 days. Inventories for symptoms of PTS (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Military version, PCL-M), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, CES-D), and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, GAD-7) were collected before (Visit 1, V1), immediately after (Visit 2, V2), and at 1 month (Visit 3, V3), 3 (Visit 4, V4), and 6 (Visit 5, V5) months after intervention completion. Other measures only taken at V1 and V2 included blood pressure and heart rate recordings to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), functional performance (reaction and grip strength) testing, blood and saliva for biomarkers of stress and inflammation, and blood for epigenetic testing. Paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and a repeated-measures ANOVA were performed.

RESULTS

Clinically relevant, significant reductions in all symptom scores were observed at V2, with durability through V5. There were significant improvements in multiple measures of HRV and BRS [Standard deviation of the normal beat to normal beat interval (SDNN), root mean square of the successive differences (rMSSD), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), and total power, HF alpha, sequence all, and systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure] as well as reaction testing. Trends were seen for improved grip strength and a reduction in C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Angiotensin II to Angiotensin 1-7 ratio and Interleukin-10, with no change in DNA n-methylation. There were no dropouts or adverse events reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Service members or veterans showed reductions in symptomatology of PTS, insomnia, depressive mood, and anxiety that were durable through 6 months after the use of a closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for the auto-calibration of neural oscillations. This study is the first to report increased HRV or BRS after the use of an intervention for service members or veterans with PTS. Ongoing investigations are strongly warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03230890 , retrospectively registered July 25, 2017.

Incident Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Men and Women Veterans After Return From Deployment

BACKGROUND

Stressors associated with military service and reintegration may impact psychologic well-being and behaviors that result in increased incidence rates for cardiovascular (CV) risk factors.

OBJECTIVE

Using electronic health record data from the Veterans Health Administration we sought to measure the incidence of newly diagnosed CV risk factors and how these incident risks were moderated by race and mental health conditions.

DESIGN

A cohort study including Veterans whose end of last deployment was between October 1, 2001 and July 31, 2014.

SUBJECTS

A total of 267,305 Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn Veterans were present.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Incident risk factors (hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes, or coronary artery disease), identified through new International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnostic codes or measurement recordings at primary care visits.

RESULTS

The rate of developing at least 1 risk factor or coronary artery disease was 240 and 151 per 1000 person-years in men and women, respectively. Except for obesity, women were significantly less likely to develop any other CV risk factor compared with men (Crude hazard ratios ranging from 0.44 to 0.82). The impact of sex on hypertension (P<0.001) and obesity (P<0.001) was modified by race and the impact of sex on the combined event of any risk factor (P=0.007) and obesity (P<0.001) was modified by depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with men, women Veterans were more likely to become obese after return from deployment, but less likely to develop any other risk . For black women, the protective effect of female sex on the combined event (any risk factor), and hypertension was lessened compared with white women. The increased risk of obesity for women was greater in black women, and those with depression.

Effect and safety of sertraline for treat posttraumatic stress disorder: a multicenter randomised controlled study

OBJECTIVE

Although several previous studies have examined the efficacy of sertraline in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), none involved Chinese PTSD patients. This study aimed to evaluate sertraline efficacy and adverse events in Chinese patients with PTSD over 12 weeks.

METHODS

In total, 72 PTSD patients were randomly assigned to receive sertraline (135 mg daily) or a placebo for 12 weeks. Impact of Event Scale-Revised subscores constituted the primary outcome, with Clinical Global Impression Scale-Severity scores and adverse events as secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Sixty-five subjects completed the study, and their data were included in the final analysis. Sertraline showed greater efficacy in enhancing Impact of Event Scale-Revised and Clinical Global Impression Scale-Severity scores at 6 and 12 weeks relative to that of the placebo. The most common adverse event was nausea, which occurred in 12 (33.3%) and 8 (22.2%) patients in the sertraline and placebo groups, respectively. No sertraline-related deaths were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, we demonstrated that 12 weeks of sertraline was efficacious and well-tolerated in Chinese patients with PTSD.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Patient-Centered Approach to Improve Screening for the Metabolic Side Effects of Antipsychotic Medications

Adherence to recommendations for monitoring of metabolic side effects of antipsychotic medications has been historically low. This randomized controlled trial tested whether a computerized, patient-centered intervention that educated Veterans with serious mental illness about these side effects and encouraged them to advocate for receipt of monitoring would increase rates of monitoring compared to enhanced treatment as usual. The mean proportion of days adherent to monitoring guidelines over the 1-year study was similarly high and did not differ between the intervention (range 0.81-0.98) and comparison (range 0.76-0.96) groups. Many individuals in both groups had persistent abnormal metabolic parameter values despite high rates of monitoring, contact with medical providers, and receipt of cardiometabolic medications. Participants exposed to the intervention were interested in receiving personalized information about their cardiometabolic status, demonstrating the preliminary feasibility of brief interventions for enhancing involvement of individuals with serious mental illness in health care decision making.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as a Catalyst for the Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Reduced Cortical Thickness

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), defined by a constellation of cardiometabolic pathologies, is highly prevalent among veterans, especially veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and poses a major risk for adverse health outcomes, including neurodegeneration and mortality. Given this, we evaluated 1) the association between MetS and neural integrity, indexed by cortical thickness; 2) the relationship between PTSD and MetS; and 3) whether PTSD was associated with cortical thickness indirectly through MetS.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 346 U.S. military veterans (89.3% male; 71.4% white) who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. Neuroimaging data were available for 274 participants.

RESULTS

In whole-brain analyses, MetS was negatively associated with cortical thickness in two left and four right hemisphere regions, as follows: bilateral temporal lobe, including temporal pole, fusiform gyrus, and insula, and extending into occipital cortex (left hemisphere) and orbitofrontal cortex (right hemisphere); bilateral precuneus, posterior cingulate, calcarine, and occipital-parietal cortex; and right rostral anterior cingulate cortex and central sulcus/postcentral gyrus. Path models showed that PTSD predicted MetS (β = .19, p < .001), which was associated with reduced cortical thickness (β = -.29 to -.43, all p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Results from this young veteran sample provide evidence that PTSD confers risk for cardiometabolic pathology and neurodegeneration and raise concern that this cohort may be aging prematurely and at risk for substantial medical and cognitive decline. This study highlights the need to identify the molecular mechanisms linking PTSD to MetS and effective interventions to reduce PTSD-related health comorbidities.

Longitudinal associations between post-traumatic stress disorder and metabolic syndrome severity

BACKGROUND

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the direction of this association is not yet established, as most prior studies employed cross-sectional designs. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate bidirectional associations between PTSD and MetS using a longitudinal design.

METHOD

A total of 1355 male and female veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan underwent PTSD diagnostic assessments and their biometric profiles pertaining to MetS were extracted from the electronic medical record at two time points (spanning ~2.5 years, n = 971 at time 2).

RESULTS

The prevalence of MetS among veterans with PTSD was just under 40% at both time points and was significantly greater than that for veterans without PTSD; the prevalence of MetS among those with PTSD was also elevated relative to age-matched population estimates. Cross-lagged panel models revealed that PTSD severity predicted subsequent increases in MetS severity (β = 0.08, p = 0.002), after controlling for initial MetS severity, but MetS did not predict later PTSD symptoms. Logistic regression results suggested that for every 10 PTSD symptoms endorsed at time 1, the odds of a subsequent MetS diagnosis increased by 56%.

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight the substantial cardiometabolic concerns of young veterans with PTSD and raise the possibility that PTSD may predispose individuals to accelerated aging, in part, manifested clinically as MetS. This demonstrates the need to identify those with PTSD at greatest risk for MetS and to develop interventions that improve both conditions.

A Review of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Obesity: Exploring the Link

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity are on the rise, and evidence continues to support the observation that individuals who have symptoms of PTSD are more likely to develop obesity in their lifetime. The incidence of obesity in individuals with PTSD, including war veterans, women, and children exposed to trauma, is not solely attributable to psychotropic medications, but actual pathophysiologic mechanisms have not been fully delineated. Additionally, there are no studies to date demonstrating that obese individuals are predisposed to developing PTSD compared to the general population. This review explores the pathogenic pathways common to both PTSD and obesity, which include inflammation, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, cellular structures, and neuroendocrine activation.

DATA SOURCES AND SYNTHESIS

A PubMed search for the years 2000-2015 with the keywords PTSD and obesity was performed. There were no language restrictions.

RESULTS

More research is needed in human subjects to understand the pathogenic pathways common to both PTSD and obesity and to further clarify the direction of identified associations. Ideally, in the future, clinical interventions targeting these pathways may be able to modify the course of PTSD and obesity. The outcome of studies investigating the utility of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in the treatment of PTSD symptoms will be relevant to control both PTSD and obesity. Importantly, outcomes assessing inflammation, obesity, and cardiac function in the same subjects also should be determined.

CONCLUSION

Research is needed to reveal the multidimensional and intricate relationship between PTSD and obesity. The implications of this research would be essential for treatment, prevention, and potential public health reforms.

Posttraumatic stress disorder, alone or additively with early life adversity, is associated with obesity and cardiometabolic risk

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

There is some evidence that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and early life adversity may influence metabolic outcomes such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, whether and how these interact is not clear.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a cross-sectional and longitudinal study to determine how PTSD severity influences obesity, insulin sensitivity, and key measures and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. We then looked at how PTSD and early life adversity may interact to impact these same outcomes.

RESULTS

PTSD severity is associated with increasing risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, with higher symptoms correlating with higher values of BMI, leptin, fibrinogen, and blood pressure, and lower values of insulin sensitivity. PTSD and early life adversity have an additive effect on these metabolic outcomes. The longitudinal study confirmed findings from the cross sectional study and showed that fat mass, leptin, CRP, sICAM-1, and sTNFRII were significantly increased with higher PTSD severity during a 2.5 year follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with early life adversity and PTSD are at high risk and should be monitored carefully for obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic risk.

Metabolic risk factors and posttraumatic stress disorder: the role of sleep in young, healthy adults

OBJECTIVE

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with indicators of poor physical health and sleep disturbance. This study investigated the relationship between PTSD and metabolic risk factors and examined the role of sleep duration in medically healthy and medication-free adults.

METHODS

Participants with PTSD (n = 44, mean age = 30.6 years) and control participants free of lifetime psychiatric history (n = 50, mean age = 30.3 years) recorded sleep using sleep diary for 10 nights and actigraphy for 7 nights. We assessed metabolic risk factors including fasting triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as abdominal fat using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

PTSD was associated with shorter sleep duration (based on self-report, not actigraphy) and higher metabolic risks (controlling for body fat percentage), including increased triglycerides (p = .03), total cholesterol (p < .001), LDL cholesterol (p = .006), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = .002), and cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio (p = .024). In addition, sleep duration was associated with metabolic risks in PTSD (significant correlations ranged from r = -0.20 to r = -0.40) but did not fully account for the association between PTSD and metabolic measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Metabolic risk factors are associated with PTSD even in early adulthood, which highlights the need for early intervention. Future longitudinal research should assess whether sleep disturbance in PTSD is a mechanism that contributes to heightened metabolic risk to elucidate the pathway from PTSD to higher rates of medical disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Gender differences in antipsychotics prescribed to veterans with serious mental illness

OBJECTIVE

To examine gender differences in prescribing of antipsychotic medications (APMs) according to their liability for weight gain and other metabolic side effects.

METHOD

We identified 4510 patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders receiving usual care in a Veterans Affairs (VA) health care network in the U.S. mid-Atlantic region who initiated treatment with an APM between October 2006 and September 2011. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine gender differences in the likelihood of incident prescription of APMs with low versus medium/high metabolic risk, adjusting for fiscal year of prescribing and selected Veteran demographic, mental health and physical health characteristics.

RESULTS

Overall, 58% of women were prescribed an APM with a low risk of metabolic side effects compared to 45% of men (P<.001). In multivariable analysis, women Veterans were 1.47 times as likely as men to be prescribed a low-metabolic-risk APM (95% confidence interval: 1.26-1.73, P<.001). Several demographic and clinical covariates were also independently related to prescribing of APMs by level of metabolic risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The results may suggest that prescribing choices for APMs by VA mental health prescribers and female Veterans reflect a growing awareness of the potential adverse health consequences of these treatments in women.

Stress- and PTSD-associated obesity and metabolic dysfunction: a growing problem requiring further research and novel treatments

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a growing public health concern. More recently, evidence has indicated that PTSD leads to obesity and associated metabolic dysfunction. Possible mechanisms of this link are through dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and related moderation of appetite hormones and neural activity, leading to changes in consumptive behaviors. Although research has been examining associations between PTSD and obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, future research should delineate potential mechanisms for these associations and develop targeted treatments to reduce these metabolic outcomes.

Proinflammatory milieu in combat-related PTSD is independent of depression and early life stress

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation may be involved in combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may help explain comorbid physical diseases. However, the extent to which combat exposure per se, depression, or early life trauma, all of which are associated with combat PTSD, may confound the relationship between PTSD and inflammation is unclear.

METHODS

We quantified interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in 51 combat-exposed males with PTSD and 51 combat-exposed males without PTSD, and assessed PTSD and depression severity as well as history of early life trauma. To decrease the possibility of Type I errors, we summed standardized scores of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, IFNγ and CRP into a total "pro-inflammatory score". PTSD symptom severity was assessed with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) rating scale.

RESULTS

Subjects with PTSD had significantly higher pro-inflammatory scores compared to combat-exposed subjects without PTSD (p=0.006), and even after controlling for early life trauma, depression diagnosis and severity, body mass index, ethnicity, education, asthma/allergies, time since combat and the use of possibly confounding medications (p=0.002). Within the PTSD group, the pro-inflammatory score was not significantly correlated with depressive symptom severity, CAPS total score, or with the number of early life traumas.

CONCLUSIONS

Combat-related PTSD in males is associated with higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, even after accounting for depression and early life trauma. These results, from one of the largest studies of inflammatory cytokines in PTSD to date, suggest that immune activation may be a core element of PTSD pathophysiology more so than a signature of combat exposure alone.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and new-onset diabetes among adult survivors of the World Trade Center disaster

OBJECTIVE

To explore the temporal relationship between 9/11-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and new-onset diabetes in World Trade Center (WTC) survivors up to 11 years after the attack in 2001.

METHODS

Three waves of surveys (conducted from 2003 to 2012) from the WTC Health Registry cohort collected data on physical and mental health status, sociodemographic characteristics, and 9/11-related exposures. Diabetes was defined as self-reported, physician-diagnosed diabetes reported after enrollment. After excluding prevalent cases, there were 36,899 eligible adult enrollees. Logistic regression and generalized multilevel growth models were used to assess the association between PTSD measured at enrollment and subsequent diabetes.

RESULTS

We identified 2143 cases of diabetes. After adjustment, we observed a significant association between PTSD and diabetes in the logistic model [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.44]. Results from the growth model were similar (AOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.23-1.52).

CONCLUSION

This exploratory study found that PTSD, a common 9/11-related health outcome, was a risk factor for self-reported diabetes. Clinicians treating survivors of both the WTC attacks and other disasters should be aware that diabetes may be a long-term consequence.

Metabolic, autonomic and immune markers for cardiovascular disease in posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with significantly greater incidence of heart disease. Numerous studies have indicated that health problems for individuals with PTSD occur earlier in life than in the general population. Multiple mechanistic pathways have been suggested to explain cardiovascular disese (CVD) risk in PTSD, including neurochemical, behavioral, and immunological changes. The present paper is a review of recent research that examines cardiovascular and immune risk profiles of individuals with PTSD. First, we address the relatively new evidence that the constellation of risk factors commonly experienced in PTSD fits the profile of metabolic syndrome. Next we examine the findings concerning hypertension/blood pressure in particular. The literature on sympathetic and parasympathetic responsivity in PTSD is reviewed. Last, we discuss recent findings concerning immune functioning in PTSD that may have a bearing on the high rates of CVD and other illnesses. Our primary goal is to synthesize the existing literature by examining factors that overlap mechanistically to increase the risk of developing CVD in PTSD.

Assessment of plasma C-reactive protein as a biomarker of posttraumatic stress disorder risk

IMPORTANCE

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated in cross-sectional studies with peripheral inflammation. It is not known whether this observed association is the result of PTSD predisposing to inflammation (as sometimes postulated) or to inflammation predisposing to PTSD.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether plasma concentration of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) helps predict PTSD symptoms.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

The Marine Resiliency Study, a prospective study of approximately 2600 war zone-deployed Marines, evaluated PTSD symptoms and various physiological and psychological parameters before deployment and at approximately 3 and 6 months following a 7-month deployment. Participants were recruited from 4 all-male infantry battalions imminently deploying to a war zone. Participation was requested of 2978 individuals; 2610 people (87.6%) consented and 2555 (85.8%) were included in the present analysis. Postdeployment data on combat-related trauma were included for 2208 participants (86.4% of the 2555 included) and on PTSD symptoms at 3 and 6 months after deployment for 1861 (72.8%) and 1617 (63.3%) participants, respectively.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Severity of PTSD symptoms 3 months after deployment assessed by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS).

RESULTS

We determined the effects of baseline plasma CRP concentration on postdeployment CAPS using zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINBR), a procedure designed for distributions, such as CAPS in this study, that have an excess of zeroes in addition to being positively skewed. Adjusting for the baseline CAPS score, trauma exposure, and other relevant covariates, we found baseline plasma CRP concentration to be a highly significant overall predictor of postdeployment CAPS scores (P = .002): each 10-fold increment in CRP concentration was associated with an odds ratio of nonzero outcome (presence vs absence of any PTSD symptoms) of 1.51 (95% CI, 1.15-1.97; P = .003) and a fold increase in outcome with a nonzero value (extent of symptoms when present) of 1.06 (95% CI, 0.99-1.14; P = .09).

CONCLUSIONS

AND RELEVANCE A marker of peripheral inflammation, plasma CRP may be prospectively associated with PTSD symptom emergence, suggesting that inflammation may predispose to PTSD.

So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from?

BACKGROUND

We now know that depression is associated with a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response and activation of cell-mediated immunity, as well as activation of the compensatory anti-inflammatory reflex system. It is similarly accompanied by increased oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS), which contribute to neuroprogression in the disorder. The obvious question this poses is 'what is the source of this chronic low-grade inflammation?'

DISCUSSION

This review explores the role of inflammation and oxidative and nitrosative stress as possible mediators of known environmental risk factors in depression, and discusses potential implications of these findings. A range of factors appear to increase the risk for the development of depression, and seem to be associated with systemic inflammation; these include psychosocial stressors, poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, altered gut permeability, atopy, dental cares, sleep and vitamin D deficiency.

SUMMARY

The identification of known sources of inflammation provides support for inflammation as a mediating pathway to both risk and neuroprogression in depression. Critically, most of these factors are plastic, and potentially amenable to therapeutic and preventative interventions. Most, but not all, of the above mentioned sources of inflammation may play a role in other psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism and post-traumatic stress disorder.