Prospective association between pro-inflammatory state on admission and posttraumatic stress following acute coronary syndrome.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The traumatic experience of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may induce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We examined whether the ACS-triggered acute inflammatory response predicts the development of PTSD symptoms.

METHOD:

Study participants were 70 patients (all Caucasian, 80% male, mean age 59 years) with myocardial infarction (MI) during the acute treatment phase. Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-1β were determined in plasma collected within 48 h of hospital admission. Participants self-assessed the severity of ACS-induced PTSD symptoms with the 17-item Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale at 12 months.

RESULTS:

There was a significant positive association of the pro-inflammatory index (added standardized z-scores of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) with total PTSD symptom severity (ΔR2 = 0.050, p = .029) and re-experiencing symptoms (ΔR2 = 0.088, p = .008), but not avoidance/numbing and hyperarousal symptoms. Analyses were adjusted for the anti-inflammatory index (added standardized z-scores of IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β1), trauma-focused counseling, sex, age, time since pain onset, troponin, body mass index, and distress during MI. Results were robust when the anti-inflammatory index was removed from the model. Additional analyses showed significant associations of both the net-inflammatory index (i.e., pro-inflammatory index minus anti-inflammatory index) and IL-1β with total PTSD symptom severity, re-experiencing, and hyperarousal symptoms (ΔR2 between 0.042 and 0.090) and of IL-1β with avoidance/numbing symptoms (ΔR2 = 0.050).

CONCLUSIONS:

The findings suggest an association between the pro-inflammatory state launched during ACS and the development of PTSD symptoms. Increased IL-1β may play a particular role in the pathophysiology of ACS-induced PTSD symptoms.

• Authors: Roland von Känel, Rebecca E Meister-Langraf, Michaela Fux, Laurin Imholz, Aju P Pazhenkottil, Hansjörg Znoj, Jean-Paul Schmid, Claudia Zuccarella-Hackl, Jürgen Barth, Ulrich Schnyder, Mary Princip
• Journal: General hospital psychiatry (Gen Hosp Psychiatry) 2022 Jan-Feb Vol. 74 Pg. 58-64 ISSN: 1873-7714 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34915233 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Cytokines

Topics

• Acute Coronary Syndrome (epidemiology)
• Cytokines
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Myocardial Infarction
• Psychotherapy
• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic (diagnosis)