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Cited by 68Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchStress Responses and CortisolChild Abuse and Trauma

Posttraumatic stress disorder onset and inflammatory and endothelial function biomarkers in women

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Sumner, Jennifer A., Chen, Qixuan, Roberts, Andrea L., Winning, Ashley, Rimm, Eric B., Gilsanz, Paola, Glymour, M. Maria, Tworoger, Shelley S. +2 more·2018·Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
DOI 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.11.013PMC PMC5857414
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Abstract

Background Research has linked posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with higher circulating levels of inflammatory and endothelial function (EF) biomarkers, and effects may be bidirectional. We conducted the first investigation of new-onset PTSD and changes in inflammatory and EF biomarkers. Methods Data were from women in the Nurses' Health Study II. Biomarkers obtained at two blood draws, 10-16 years apart, included C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor-II (TNFRII), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). PTSD was assessed via interview. Analyses compared biomarker levels in women with PTSD that onset between draws (n = 175) to women with no history of trauma (n = 175) and to women with history of trauma at draw 1 and no PTSD at either draw (n = 175). We examined if PTSD onset was associated with biomarker change over time and if pre-PTSD-onset biomarker levels indicated risk of subsequent PTSD using linear mixed models and linear regression, respectively. Biomarkers were log-transformed. Results Compared to women without trauma, women in the PTSD onset group had larger increases in VCAM-1 over time (b = 0.003, p = .068). They also had higher TNFRII (b = 0.05, p = .049) and ICAM-1 (b = 0.04, p = .060) levels at draw 1 (prior to trauma and PTSD onset). However, pre-PTSD-onset biomarker levels did not predict onset of more severe PTSD. Conclusions PTSD onset (vs. no trauma) was associated with increases in one inflammation-related biomarker. Effects may be small and cumulative; longer follow-up periods with larger samples are needed. We did not observe strong support that pre-PTSD-onset biomarkers predicted risk of subsequent PTSD.

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  • Recent longitudinal studies provide strong evidence that factors such as depression and PTSD precede and predict higher levels of inflammation in both healthy and patient populations.

    “Although numerous studies note that associations between negative psychological health and factors that increase cardiovascular risk are likely bidirectional, recent longitudinal studies provide strong evidence that factors such as depression and PTSD precede and predict higher levels of inflammation in both healthy and patient populations. 118,119,124”

    From Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2021) · cites this paper as [119]

    The Results (§3.2; page not provided) report that PTSD onset preceded a larger increase in VCAM-1 in women without cardiovascular disease, although the main comparison was only marginally significant and no other biomarker showed a comparable change. This paper does not establish that depression predicts inflammation or that the finding applies to patient populations; its Conclusions also caution that the causal structure remains unclear. The claim overstates the breadth and strength of this source's evidence. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • In a study of 475 healthy women, those who developed PTSD exhibited larger increases in vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 relative to women with no history of trauma and PTSD.

    “An example of a more chronic effect comes from a study of 475 healthy women comparing markers of endothelial function before and after the onset of PTSD. Those who developed PTSD exhibited larger increases in vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 relative to women with no history of trauma and PTSD. 119”

    From Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2021) · cites this paper as [119]

    The Results (§3.2) report a larger increase in VCAM-1 among women with PTSD onset than among women with no trauma, although the full-sample comparison was marginally significant (p=.068). The Introduction and Abstract Methods describe 525 women, not 475, so the stated sample size is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.91)

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Authors
Sumner, J. A., Chen, Q., Roberts, A. L., Winning, A., Rimm, E. B., Gilsanz, P., Glymour, M. M., Tworoger, S. S., Koenen, K. C., & Kubzansky, L. D.
Affiliations
  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
  • Columbia University (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • Broad Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Sumner, Jennifer A.
ORCID
Venue
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-03
Volume
69
Pages
203-209
ISSN
0889-1591 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.bbi.2017.11.013
PMC
PMC5857414
OpenAlex
W2768276935
Cited by
68
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2
FWCI
3.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Brain Behavior and Immunity (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (R01MH078928)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, women, trauma exposure, Nurses' Health Study II, PTSD risk prediction
MeSH terms
Adult, C-Reactive Protein, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Middle Aged, Severity of Illness Index, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Biomarkers, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1, Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II

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