Women with PTSD have higher risk for cancer than men, are more protected from circulatory issues
MONDAY, Jan. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those who were victims of terrorist attacks (TA) have a higher risk for neoplasms than those who experience other traumatic events (OTE), according to a study published online Jan. 8 in the Journal of Neuroscience Research.
Fabio Ferretti, M.D., from Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital in Siena, Italy, and colleagues evaluated the association between the type of traumatic event (TA versus OTE) and medical comorbidities among 84 patients diagnosed with PTSD (39 victims of TA, 45 victims of OTE).
The researchers found a higher prevalence of neoplasms associated with TA. For circulatory system comorbidities, PTSD duration was associated with higher prevalence and women were more protected than men. Women had a higher prevalence of neoplasms than men, but female sex was protective against metabolic syndrome.
“Patients with PTSD due to TA and female patients should be considered for their higher prevalence of neoplasms, while male patients and those with higher symptom duration should be monitored for circulatory disease and metabolic syndrome,” the authors write.
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