Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles

Aim. To determine the degree of psychological and endocrinological changes in war veterans with the diagnosis of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) regarding presence/absence of comorbid mild closed head injury (mCHI) caused by explosive devices. Methods. Two groups of PTSD inpatients, wit...

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Main Authors: Špirić Željko, Samardžić Radomir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, Belgrade 2005-01-01
Series:Vojnosanitetski Pregled
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2005/0042-84500501017S.pdf
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author Špirić Željko
Samardžić Radomir
author_facet Špirić Željko
Samardžić Radomir
author_sort Špirić Željko
collection DOAJ
description Aim. To determine the degree of psychological and endocrinological changes in war veterans with the diagnosis of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) regarding presence/absence of comorbid mild closed head injury (mCHI) caused by explosive devices. Methods. Two groups of PTSD inpatients, with (n = 37), and without (n = 86) sustained blast trauma followed by mCHI were formed during the psychiatric treatment. Participants were interviewed by experienced clinicians who used the PTSD Interview (PTSD-I). In addition, patients completed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Serum levels of ten hormones were assessed: triiodothyronine, thyroxine, thyrotropin-stimulating hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and insulin, by radioimmunoassays and hydrocortisone, growth hormone and testosterone by fluoroimmunoassays. Results. Veterans with comorbid mCHI and PTSD showed significantly higher level of amnesia for traumatic event as well as of somatization on the SCL-90-R. Significant differences of hormone levels were not found. Conclusion. The results didn't support the hypothesis on specific PTSD subgroup characterized by history of mCHI and consecutive postconcussion syndrome. The absence of differences in levels of hormones indicated the dominant role of psychogenic trauma in the etiology of hormone disbalance in chronic PTSD. Amnesia for traumatic event in war veterans with comorbid PTSD and mCHI was easily explained by neurogenic peritraumatic amnesia due to the blast trauma, but it did not affect either quality of intensity or posttraumatic symptoms as well as endocrinological parameters.
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spelling doaj-art-5a27eb6961494fcfa6da682c74eb3dc52025-08-20T01:57:04ZengMinistry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, BelgradeVojnosanitetski Pregled0042-84502005-01-01621172510.2298/VSP0501017SComorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profilesŠpirić ŽeljkoSamardžić RadomirAim. To determine the degree of psychological and endocrinological changes in war veterans with the diagnosis of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) regarding presence/absence of comorbid mild closed head injury (mCHI) caused by explosive devices. Methods. Two groups of PTSD inpatients, with (n = 37), and without (n = 86) sustained blast trauma followed by mCHI were formed during the psychiatric treatment. Participants were interviewed by experienced clinicians who used the PTSD Interview (PTSD-I). In addition, patients completed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Serum levels of ten hormones were assessed: triiodothyronine, thyroxine, thyrotropin-stimulating hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and insulin, by radioimmunoassays and hydrocortisone, growth hormone and testosterone by fluoroimmunoassays. Results. Veterans with comorbid mCHI and PTSD showed significantly higher level of amnesia for traumatic event as well as of somatization on the SCL-90-R. Significant differences of hormone levels were not found. Conclusion. The results didn't support the hypothesis on specific PTSD subgroup characterized by history of mCHI and consecutive postconcussion syndrome. The absence of differences in levels of hormones indicated the dominant role of psychogenic trauma in the etiology of hormone disbalance in chronic PTSD. Amnesia for traumatic event in war veterans with comorbid PTSD and mCHI was easily explained by neurogenic peritraumatic amnesia due to the blast trauma, but it did not affect either quality of intensity or posttraumatic symptoms as well as endocrinological parameters.http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2005/0042-84500501017S.pdfstress disorderspost-traumatichead injuriesclosedpsychological testshormonesamnesiaveteransYugoslavia
spellingShingle Špirić Željko
Samardžić Radomir
Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles
Vojnosanitetski Pregled
stress disorders
post-traumatic
head injuries
closed
psychological tests
hormones
amnesia
veterans
Yugoslavia
title Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles
title_full Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles
title_fullStr Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles
title_full_unstemmed Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles
title_short Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans: Endocrinological and psychological profiles
title_sort comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury in war veterans endocrinological and psychological profiles
topic stress disorders
post-traumatic
head injuries
closed
psychological tests
hormones
amnesia
veterans
Yugoslavia
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2005/0042-84500501017S.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT spiriczeljko comorbidityofposttraumaticstressdisorderandmildclosedheadinjuryinwarveteransendocrinologicalandpsychologicalprofiles
AT samardzicradomir comorbidityofposttraumaticstressdisorderandmildclosedheadinjuryinwarveteransendocrinologicalandpsychologicalprofiles