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Phenotype of Blood Lymphocytes in PTSD Suggests Chronic Immune Activation

Received June 15, 1998; revised October 20, 1998; accepted November 3, 1998. From the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and The Trauma Center at Human Resource Institute, Boston, Massachusetts. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Wilson, Five Longfellow Place, Ste. 213, Boston, MA 02114.

Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a past history of extremely stressful experience and often present with somatic complaints. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of patients with PTSD associated with a history of childhood sexual abuse were examined for changes in immune phenotype. The ratio of CD45RO-positive to CD45RA-positive lymphocytes (CD45RO/CD45RA), an index of lymphocyte activation, was higher (P=0.04) in the PTSD subjects than in the normal subjects. No differences were observed for the number of PBL or the representation of major T, B, or NK lymphocyte subsets. These findings suggest the presence of increased lymphocyte activation in the PBL of patients with PTSD.

Key Words: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder • Psychoimunology • Lymphocytes

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