engleski

Determination of immune reactivity and hormone status in patients with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder

Studies of the immune status in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are scarce and inconsistent. Our previous works showed comparable alterations in some, but not all immune and hormone variables in two different patient's groups (war veterans and professional soldiers) with PTSD. We assumed that discrepancy between these groups was the result from their different socioeconomic background. Besides, the correlational studies indicated low socioeconomic status to be significantly associated with PTSD. In line with these, our aim was to examine group of Croatian war veterans with PTSD (n=41) ten years after traumatization, and a group of healthy men (n=13). PTSD patients were divided into two subgroups: PTSD I, with no additional major stress experience, and PTSD II, including patients who, besides their primary diagnosis, did not have a job or rent during the last year. With multiparameter flow cytometric technique we determined: (a) absolute lymphocyte number and percentages of main lymphocyte populations and (b) relative quantity of intracellular perforin and glucocorticoid receptors (GCR) in lymphocytes. The cytotoxic activity of NK-cells and the level of cortisol were followed as well. There were no differences in the enumerative lymphocyte parameter (absolute number and percentages), the quantity of perforin in lymphocyte subsets or in the level of serum cortisol. On the other hand, the level of GCR was increased, whereas NK-activity was decreased in both PTSD groups compared with controls. These results support the hypothesis of the exhaustive effect of allostatic load on the immune response through enduring overactivity of HPA axis.

PTSD; cytotoxicity; perforin; cortisol; glucocorticoid receptor

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