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Cortisol at the emergency room rape visit as a predictor of PTSD and depression symptoms over time
- Source :
- Psychoneuroendocrinology. 38:2520-2528
- Publication Year :
- 2013
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2013.
-
Abstract
- Summary Background Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, typically reflected by alterations in cortisol responsivity, has been associated with exposure to traumatic events and the development of stress-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Methods Serum cortisol was measured at the time of a post sexual assault medical exam among a sample of 323 female victims of recent sexual assault. Analyses were conducted among 235 participants who provided data regarding history of previous assault as well as PTSD and depression symptoms during at least one of the three follow-ups. Results Growth curve models suggested that prior history of assault and serum cortisol were positively associated with the intercept and negatively associated with the slope of PTSD and depression symptoms after controlling for covariates. Prior history of assault and serum cortisol also interacted to predict the intercept and slope of PTSD and depression symptoms such that women with a prior history of assault and lower ER cortisol had higher initial symptoms that decreased at a slower rate relative to women without a prior history and those with higher ER cortisol. Conclusions Prior history of assault was associated with diminished acute cortisol responsivity at the emergency room visit. Prior assault history and cortisol both independently and interactively predicted PTSD and depression symptoms at first follow-up and over the course a 6-month follow-up.
- Subjects :
- Adult
medicine.medical_specialty
Adolescent
Hydrocortisone
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Poison control
Suicide prevention
Article
Occupational safety and health
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Endocrinology
Predictive Value of Tests
Injury prevention
medicine
Humans
Psychiatry
Biological Psychiatry
Depression (differential diagnoses)
Aged
Depression
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Human factors and ergonomics
Middle Aged
Psychiatry and Mental health
medicine.anatomical_structure
Rape
Female
Emergency Service, Hospital
Psychology
Biomarkers
Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis
Clinical psychology
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 03064530
- Volume :
- 38
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....21c37ca2d741173cd5c3771728ab5381