Title: Elevated morning serum interleukin (IL)-6 or evening salivary cortisol concentrations predict posttraumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents six months after a motor vehicle accident. Author: Pervanidou P, Kolaitis G, Charitaki S, Margeli A, Ferentinos S, Bakoula C, Lazaropoulou C, Papassotiriou I, Tsiantis J, Chrousos GP. Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology; 2007; 32(8-10):991-9. PubMed ID: 17825995. Abstract: BACKGROUND: This study examined prospectively the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the sympathetic nervous system and inflammatory factors in children shortly after a motor vehicle accident (MVA) in relation to later posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty six children, aged 7-18, were studied after an MVA and 1 and 6 months later; 40 subjects served as controls. Morning serum cortisol and interleukin (IL)-6 and plasma catecholamine concentrations were measured within 24h after the event. Salivary cortisol was measured 5 times at defined time points during the same day. PTSD diagnoses 1 and 6 months later were based on K-SADS interview. RESULTS: Morning serum IL-6 concentrations, measured within the first 24h after the accident, were higher in children that developed PTSD 6 months later than those who did not and those of the control group. Longitudinal IL-6 measurements revealed normalization of IL-6 in the PTSD group, while no differences between the three groups were detected 1 and 6 months later. Evening salivary cortisol and morning serum IL-6 after the accident were positively inter-related (r=0.54, p<0.001) and in separate regression analyses both predicted PTSD development 6 months later. In contrast, morning serum IL-6 did nor correlate with morning serum or salivary cortisol concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate posttraumatic alterations in neuroendocrine or inflammatory factors-increased evening salivary cortisol and/or increased morning serum IL-6 concentrations-are involved in subsequent PTSD development in children and adolescents.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]
