Table 2a.
Association between inflammatory biomarkers at baseline and change in mental health scale scores between baseline and 6 months, using linear regression models, after adjusting for the baseline value of the corresponding mental health scale.
| Baseline Inflammation |
Change in Mental Health Scales (Follow-up vs. Baseline) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta | 95% CI | P | |
| Overall PTSD Score (PCL-C) | |||
| hsCRP (ng/mL) | 1.97 | (0.77,5.10) | 0.156 |
| IL6 (pg/mL) | 7.24 | (0.89,59.15) | 0.065 |
| Re-experiencing PTSD Symptoms Subscale | |||
| hsCRP (ng/mL) | 1.67 | (1.19,2.34) | 0.003 |
| IL6 (pg/mL) | 2.27 | (1.07,4.85) | 0.032 |
| Hyperarousal PTSD Symptoms Subscale | |||
| hsCRP (ng/mL) | 1.25 | (0.90,1.73) | 0.176 |
| IL6 (pg/mL) | 2.46 | (1.20,5.05) | 0.01 |
| Avoidance and Numbing Symptoms Subscale | |||
| hsCRP (ng/mL) | 1.01 | (0.66,1.55) | 0.963 |
| IL6 (pg/mL) | 1.34 | (0.51,3.53) | 0.557 |
| Depression (BDI-II) | |||
| hsCRP (ng/mL) | 1.39 | (0.69,2.80) | 0.359 |
| IL6 (pg/mL) | 0.59 | (0.12,2.83) | 0.507 |
| Anxiety (STAI) | |||
| hsCRP (ng/mL) | 0.82 | (0.31,2.12) | 0.674 |
| IL6 (pg/mL) | 0.43 | (0.05,3.78) | 0.448 |
Abbreviations:
PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
STAI: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.
PCL-C: PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version.
CRP: C-Reactive Protein.
BDI-II Beck Depression Inventory II.
IL-6: Interleukin-6.
The natural logs of inflammatory markers at baseline were used as predictors of changes in mental health scores; then, results were transformed back to original units to ease interpretation. The beta coefficients express the unit change in PTSD scale scores between baseline and 6 months per each unit of baseline hsCRP or IL-6. Bolded text indicates significant results at p < 0.05.