Serum concentrations of TNF-α and its soluble receptors during psychotherapy in German soldiers suffering from combat-related PTSD

<p>Background: Changes in serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and its soluble receptors (sTNF-R) p55 and p75 have been shown to be associated with various psychiatric treatments.</p> <p>Subjects and methods: Before and after treatment, serum levels of TNF-α, sTNF-R p55 and sTNF-R p75 were measured in 38 German soldiers who had been deployed abroad and suffered from combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients were randomized either to inpatient psychotherapy (<i>N</i> = 21) including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) or to outpatient clinical management (<i>N</i> = 17). Symptoms of PTSD were measured using the Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS).</p> <p>Results: The PDS score significantly decreased across time in both groups. Serum concentrations of TNF-α increased, while sTNF-R p55 and sTNF-R p75 levels decreased significantly. After the treatment period, we could not detect any significant difference regarding TNF-α, sTNF-R p55 or sTNF-R p75 levels between the inpatient psychotherapy group and the outpatient clinical management control group.</p> <p>Conclusions: This relatively small clinical study suggests that specific inpatient psychotherapy but also non-specific supportive outpatient treatment for PTSD are associated with changes in the TNF-α system. This may represent an immunological effects or side effects of psychotherapy.</p>