Metabolic syndrome, somatic and psychiatric comorbidity in war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: Preliminary findings.

BACKGROUND

There has been a growing interest in the effect that co-morbid mental and somatic disorders may have on each other. Post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) have been associated with comorbidity of many major somatic and mental disorders as well as with premature mortality.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between combat-related PTSD, metabolic syndrome and comorbid psychiatric and somatic diagnoses.

METHOD

Metabolic syndrome and its components as well as comorbid somatic and mental disorders were analysed in 47 male war veterans with combat PTSD.

RESULTS

Only 4.25% of our patients were without any comorbid somatic and mental disorders, metabolic syndrome or any of its components. Other psychiatric or medical condition was diagnosed in 76.6 % of the PTSD patients. Metabolic syndrome according NCEP: ATP III was found in 31.9% of our PTSD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

PTSD is multisystemic mental and somatic disorder. The treatment of war veterans with PTSD should address comorbid other mental and somatic disorders including metabolic syndrome as well as the clinical features of PTSD.