Posttraumatic stress disorder and metabolic syndrome: retrospective study of repatriated prisoners of war

We conducted a retrospective study of metabolic data for Vietnam-era repatriated prisoners of war (RPWs) and a comparison group to determine if metabolic syndrome (MbS) was more common in those individuals with clinically diagnosed, current or lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as suggested in a recent report. The metabolic data of our patients nearest the time of psychiatric evaluation (1998-2004) for PTSD were analyzed using both an analysis of variance and logistic regression. Although we found elevated triglyceride levels (40 mg/dl higher) in RPWs with PTSD who met MbS criteria, overall the prevalence of MbS was the same in RPWs with and without PTSD and comparison group. Moreover, current PTSD symptom severity did not increase the likelihood of MbS. Our results from these repatriates who actively participate in a 37-year medical follow up program do not support the conclusion that MbS occurs more commonly in individuals with current PTSD.