Citation

Hawk LW, Dougall AL, Ursano RJ, Baum A. Psychosom. Med. 2000; 62(3): 423-434.

Affiliation

University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. LHAWK@acsu.buffalo.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American Psychosomatic Society, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10845356

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined relationships among stress hormone levels, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and symptoms, and gender shortly after a common civilian trauma. METHODS: Levels of catecholamines and cortisol in 15-hour urine samples were examined in 55 adults who had been in serious motor vehicle accidents and in 22 age-matched control. RESULTS: Catecholamines were related to PTSD diagnosis and symptoms, but only among men: PTSD-symptomatic men who had been in an accident exhibited elevated levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine 1 month after the accident and had higher epinephrine levels 5 months later. Intrusive thoughts predicted catecholamine levels at 1 month, and avoidance of trauma-relevant stimuli was associated with higher epinephrine levels 5 months later. These effects were not significant among women. Urinary cortisol was also elevated among PTSD-symptomatic men, but not women, and only immediately (1 month) after the accident. For men and women, greater emotional numbing predicted a lower cortisol level 6 months after the accident. CONCLUSIONS: These findings were interpreted as limited support for the generalizability of findings in men with chronic, combat-related PTSD and indicate the need for additional research on psychoendocrine assessment of traumatized women and specific dimensions of PTSD symptomatology.

Language: en