Citation

Vilibić M, Jukić V, Pandžić-Sakoman M, Bilić P, Milošević M. Croat. Med. J. 2014; 55(5): 520-529.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, University of Zagreb Medical School, Publisher Medicinska Naklada)

DOI

10.3325/cmj.2014.55.520

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the relationship between total serum cholesterol and levels of depression, aggression, and suicidal ideations in war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without psychiatric comorbidity.

METHODS: A total of 203 male PTSD outpatients were assessed for the presence of depression, aggression, and suicidality using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17), Corrigan Agitated Behavior Scale (CABS), and Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI), respectively, followed by plasma lipid parameters determination (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein [HDL]-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein [LDL]-cholesterol, and triglycerides). PTSD severity was assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV, Current and Lifetime Diagnostic Version (CAPS-DX) and the Clinical Global Impressions of Severity Scale (CGI-S), before which Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was administered to exclude psychiatric comorbidity and premorbidity.

RESULTS: After adjustments for PTSD severity, age, body mass index, marital status, educational level, employment status, use of particular antidepressants, and other lipid parameters (LDL- and HDL- cholesterol and triglycerides), higher total cholesterol was significantly associated with lower odds for having higher suicidal ideation (SSI≥20) (odds ratio [OR] 0.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03-0.23], clinically significant aggression (CABS≥22) (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.14-0.59), and at least moderate depressive symptoms (HAM-D17≥17) (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.08-0.48). Association of total cholesterol and HAM-D17 scores was significantly moderated by the severity of PTSD symptoms (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION Our results indicate that higher total serum cholesterol is associated with lower scores on HAM-D17, CABS, and SSI in patients with chronic PTSD.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adult; Male; Middle Aged; adult; human; age; War; male; Croatia; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Suicidal Ideation; Aggression; suicidal ideation; depression; aggression; war; disease severity; veteran; Veterans; psychology; posttraumatic stress disorder; Depressive Disorder; major clinical study; antidepressant agent; disease association; marriage; cholesterol blood level; triacylglycerol; clinical feature; psychologic test; Cholesterol; middle aged; cholesterol; psychopharmacotherapy; mental patient; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; cross-sectional study; low density lipoprotein cholesterol; lipid blood level; blood; DSM-IV; psychological rating scale; high density lipoprotein cholesterol; educational status; body mass; Article; employment status; triacylglycerol blood level; Clinical Global Impression scale; intelligence test; Intelligence Tests; mini international neuropsychiatric interview; Scale for Suicide Ideation; veterans health; Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; mental disease assessment; Corrigan Agitated Behavior Scale; Current and Lifetime Diagnostic Version