Monika A Waszczuk1, Camilo Ruggero2, Kaiqiao Li3, Benjamin J Luft4, Roman Kotov3. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA. Electronic address: monika.waszczuk@stonybrookmedicine.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA. 4. Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases risk of future respiratory illness. However, mechanisms that underpin the association between these common and debilitating conditions remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify modifiable, health-related behaviors they may explain the link between PTSD and respiratory problems. METHODS: World Trade Center responders (N = 452, 89% male, mean age = 55 years) completed baseline PTSD and sleep questionnaires, followed by 2-weeks of daily diaries, actigraphy and ambulatory spirometry to monitor lower respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, activity levels, stressors, and sleep. Lipid levels were obtained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Cross-sectional mediation analyses revealed that the association between PTSD and self-reported respiratory symptoms was explained by poor sleep, low activity, and daily stressors. The association between PTSD symptoms and pulmonary function was explained by insomnia and low activity. CONCLUSIONS: A range of health-related daily behaviors and experiences, especially sleep disturbances and inactivity, may explain excess respiratory illness morbidity in PTSD. The findings were generally consistent across daily self-report and spirometry measures of respiratory problems. Targeting these behaviors might enhance prevention of and intervention in respiratory problems in traumatized populations.
BACKGROUND:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases risk of future respiratory illness. However, mechanisms that underpin the association between these common and debilitating conditions remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify modifiable, health-related behaviors they may explain the link between PTSD and respiratory problems. METHODS: World Trade Center responders (N = 452, 89% male, mean age = 55 years) completed baseline PTSD and sleep questionnaires, followed by 2-weeks of daily diaries, actigraphy and ambulatory spirometry to monitor lower respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, activity levels, stressors, and sleep. Lipid levels were obtained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Cross-sectional mediation analyses revealed that the association between PTSD and self-reported respiratory symptoms was explained by poor sleep, low activity, and daily stressors. The association between PTSD symptoms and pulmonary function was explained by insomnia and low activity. CONCLUSIONS: A range of health-related daily behaviors and experiences, especially sleep disturbances and inactivity, may explain excess respiratory illness morbidity in PTSD. The findings were generally consistent across daily self-report and spirometry measures of respiratory problems. Targeting these behaviors might enhance prevention of and intervention in respiratory problems in traumatized populations.
Authors: Michael J Zvolensky; Samantha G Farris; Roman Kotov; Clyde B Schechter; Evelyn Bromet; Adam Gonzalez; Anka Vujanovic; Robert H Pietrzak; Michael Crane; Julia Kaplan; Jacqueline Moline; Steven M Southwick; Adriana Feder; Iris Udasin; Dori B Reissman; Benjamin J Luft Journal: Prev Med Date: 2015-03-31 Impact factor: 4.018
Authors: Elizabeth J Mezick; Karen A Matthews; Martica Hall; Thomas W Kamarck; Daniel J Buysse; Jane F Owens; Steven E Reis Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2009-05-17 Impact factor: 4.905
Authors: Risa B Weisberg; Steven E Bruce; Jason T Machan; Ronald C Kessler; Larry Culpepper; Martin B Keller Journal: Psychiatr Serv Date: 2002-07 Impact factor: 3.084
Authors: Marcio Antonio de Assis; Marcelo Feijó de Mello; Fulvio Alexandre Scorza; Mariana Pupo Cadrobbi; Aline Ferii Schooedl; Sergio Gomes da Silva; Marly de Albuquerque; Antonio Carlos da Silva; Ricardo Mario Arida Journal: Clinics (Sao Paulo) Date: 2008-08 Impact factor: 2.365
Authors: Joshua R Oltmanns; H Andrew Schwartz; Camilo Ruggero; Youngseo Son; Jiaju Miao; Monika Waszczuk; Sean A P Clouston; Evelyn J Bromet; Benjamin J Luft; Roman Kotov Journal: J Psychiatr Res Date: 2021-09-06 Impact factor: 4.791