The association of posttraumatic stress disorder and metabolic syndrome: a study of increased health risk in veterans

Table 2 Sociodemographic, medical and psychiatric characteristics of veterans (N = 253)

Sociodemographic data	Number (percentage) of all veterans
Male	233 (92%)
Race
White	193 (76.3%)
Black	47 (18.6%)
Other	13 (5.1%)
Branch of service
Army	153 (60.5%)
Marines	53 (20.9%)
Navy	26 (10.3%)
Air Force	21 (8.3%)
Service era
World War II	7 (2.8%)
Korea	8 (3.2%)
Vietnam	180 (71.1%)
Gulf War I	36 (14.2%)
Other conflicts	22 (8.7%)
Medical and psychiatric diagnoses
PTSD
At least moderate severity	139 (54.9%)^a
Subthreshold severity	60 (24.0%)^a
MDD	163 (64.4%)
Nicotine abuse/dependence (lifetime)	98 (38.7%)
Substance abuse/dependence (past)	102 (40.3%)
Alcohol abuse/dependence (past)	174 (68.8%)
Co-morbid PTSD and MDD	104 (41.1%)^b
Co-morbid PTSD and lifetime nicotine abuse/dependence	53 (20.9%)
Co-morbid PTSD and past substance abuse/dependence	67 (26.5%)
Co-morbid PTSD and past alcohol abuse/dependence	107 (42.3%)
Metabolic syndrome (prevalence)	101 (39.9%)^c
PTSD only and metabolic syndrome	12 (34.3%)^d
MDD only and metabolic syndrome	17 (28.8%)^e
PTSD, MDD and metabolic syndrome	48 (46.2%)^f
Other factors:
Age (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) = 51.5 ± 9.0 years
Length of education (mean ± SD) = 12.9 ± 2.4 years
CAPS score (mean ± SD) = 62.8 ± 29.4 years.

^aThose identified as meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were subclassified into subthreshold (Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) < 65) or moderate to severe PTSD (CAPS ≥ 65).
^bDiagnosis of PTSD if CAPS ≥ 65; diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) determined by structured psychodiagnostic clinical interview.
^cMetabolic syndrome status if three of five criteria are present (serum triglycerides at least 150 mg dl^-1, high-density lipoprotein less than 35 mg dl^-1, blood pressure at least 130/85 mm/Hg, waist-to-hip ratio at least 0.90 for men and at least 0.85 for women, and plasma glucose concentration at least 110 mg dl^-1).
^dPercentage of those with PTSD only who meet criteria for metabolic syndrome.
^ePercentage of those with MDD only who meet criteria for metabolic syndrome.
^fPercentage of those with both PTSD and MDD who meet criteria for metabolic syndrome.

ISSN: 1741-7015