Study Report

Study Information

Basic Info
Reference |
Kimbrel, N. A.,2015 PMID: 25314020
|
Citation |
Kimbrel, N. A., et al. (2015). "Effect of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism on posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and quality of life among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans." Anxiety Stress Coping 28(4): 456-466. |
Phenotype |
PCL-M scores, QOLS scores |
Trauma |
Iraq/Afghanistan-era war |
Study Design |
Case-control |
Study Type |
Candidate gene association study |
Sample Size |
186 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans |
SNP/Marker Size |
1 Variant |
Predominant Ethnicity |
Caucasian |
Population |
Predominantly white (62%; n=116) |
Gender |
159 males |
Age |
Ranged from 22 to 63 years (mean age=38.6 years, SD=10.6). |

Detail Info
Sample Diagnosis |
DSM-IV |
Related Diagnostic Tools |
The PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M; Weathers, Litz, Herman, Huska, & Keane, 1993) assessed PTSD symptom severity. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) assessed depressive symptoms. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) assessed depression, anxiety, and general stress/tension during the past week. The Quality of Life Scale (QOLS; Burckhardt, Woods, Schultz, & Ziebarth, 1989) assessed quality of life. The 18-item Full Combat Exposure Scale (FCES; Hoge et al., 2004), one of the most comprehensive measures of combat available, was used to assess combat exposure. |
Sample Status |
None. |
Controls Exposed |
Yes |
Replication Size |
None |
Result Summary |
After controlling for combat exposure, age, sex of the participant, and race, 5-HTTLPR had a significant multivariate effect on post-deployment adjustment, such that S' carriers reported more post-deployment adjustment problems and worse quality of life than veterans homozygous for the L' allele. This effect was larger when the analyses were restricted to veterans of European ancestry. Our findings suggest that veterans who carry the S' allele of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism may be at increased risk for adjustment problems and reduced quality of life following deployments to war zones. |
Potential Biomarker |
None |

Genetic result reported by this study

Normal genetic result reported by this study (count: 2)
Marker |
Phenotype |
Related Gene |
Statistical Values |
Author Comments |
Marker's Category |
5-HTTLPR
|
PCL-M scores |
SLC6A4 |
Univariate effects for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism on PTSD: in total sample, P-value=0.002; in European Ancestry only, P-value<0.001. |
Significant (P-value < .0083) univariate effects for the 5-H......
Significant (P-value < .0083) univariate effects for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism were observed on the PCL-M (small effect). Notably, the effect of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism on post-deployment adjustment among individuals of European ancestry was larger than the effect observed in the overall sample.
More...
|
Significant |
5-HTTLPR
|
QOLS scores |
SLC6A4 |
Univariate effects for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism on QOLS scores: in total sample, P-value=0.001; in European Ancestry only, P-value<0.001. |
Significant (P-value < .0083) univariate effects for the 5-H......
Significant (P-value < .0083) univariate effects for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism were observed on QOLS (medium effect). Notably, the effect of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism on post-deployment adjustment among individuals of European ancestry was larger than the effect observed in the overall sample.
More...
|
Significant |