Multiple Changes of Immunologic Parameters in Prisoners of War

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) of the pattern shift reversal type were determined in a representative group of 57 prisoners of war (POWs) released in 1992 from detention camps in former Yugoslavia. The parameters were correlated with the conditions in four camps (1-4). All subjects were male, with a mean age of 34.75 years (SD +/- 8.92), average length of imprisonment 192.7 days (SD +/- 77.6), mean loss of body mass during imprisonment 19.32% (SD +/- 9.54), and the average number of reported blows to the head and neck was 25.7 (SD +/- 20.3). VEPs were determined on average 290.5 days after the last craniocerebral trauma caused by blows to the head and neck (SD +/- 152.0) i.e., on average 218.5 days after release from the camp (SD +/- 164.3). Although all the 57 POWs reported being maltreated to a certain extent, 14 reported being subjected to particularly brutal forms of torture, 5 had been held in solitary confinement and 25 had lost consciousness at least once. Solitary confinement and loss of consciousness had the most significant effect on VEPs, and the altered VEP parameters correlated significantly with the craniocerebral trauma experienced, loss of body mass and the length of time since the last craniocerebral trauma until examination, and from release until examination. However, the length of imprisonment and treatment in the camps did not have a significant effect on VEP parameters. The study confirmed that under such conditions the age of the subject is a risk factor. The results of this study also confirmed that prisoners in one camp had been subjected to the worst maltreatment.

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“…Dekaris et al found immunological changes in a representative group of POWs from detention camps, which agrees with the above speculation [5].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Visual evoked potentials in relation to factors of imprisonment in detention camps

et al. 1996

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“…Childhood adversity has also been associated with higher expression of pro-inflammatory genes in a small pilot study ( n = 114) of Health and Retirement Study participants (Levine et al, 2015). Across the entire lifespan, greater cumulative exposure to different categories of trauma has also been linked with elevated hsCRP (O’Donovan et al, 2012), as have specific types of adulthood trauma such as being a prisoner of war or a victim of intimate partner violence (Dekaris et al, 1993; Woods et al, 2005). However, in contrast with the large number of studies on childhood adversity and inflammation, there are very few studies that examine the relationship between adulthood trauma exposure and inflammation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations of childhood adversity and adulthood trauma with C-reactive protein: A cross-sectional population-based study

Lin

Neylan

Epel

et al. 2016

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

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Mounting evidence highlights specific forms of psychological stress as risk factors for ill health. Particularly strong evidence indicates that childhood adversity and adulthood trauma exposure increase risk for physical and psychiatric disorders, and there is emerging evidence that inflammation may play a key role in these relationships. In a population-based sample from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 11,198, mean age 69 ± 10), we examine whether childhood adversity, adulthood trauma, and the interaction between them are associated with elevated levels of the systemic inflammatory marker high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). All models were adjusted for age, gender, race, education, and year of data collection, as well as other possible confounds in follow-up sensitivity analyses. In our sample, 67% of individuals had experienced at least one traumatic event during adulthood, and those with childhood adversity were almost three times as likely to have experienced trauma as an adult. Childhood adversities and adulthood traumas were independently associated with elevated levels of hsCRP (β = 0.03, p = 0.01 and β = 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). Those who had experienced both types of stress had higher levels of hsCRP than those with adulthood trauma alone, Estimate = −0.06, 95% CI [−0.003, −0.12], p = 0.04, but not compared to those with childhood adversity alone, Estimate = −0.06, 95% CI [0.03, −0.16], p = 0.19. There was no interaction between childhood and adulthood trauma exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine adulthood trauma exposure and inflammation in a large population-based sample, and the first to explore the interaction of childhood adversity and adulthood trauma with inflammation. Our study demonstrates the prevalence of trauma-related inflammation in the general population and suggests that childhood adversity and adulthood trauma are independently associated with elevated inflammation.

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“…Changes in immunologic function that place soldiers at increased risk of infection are: 1) a decrease in white blood cells, monocytes, the number of T-lymphocytes, number and ability of the lymphocytes to respond (stimulated CD69 expression, CD69 intensity); 2) percent and number of B-lymphocytes and ability to become activated, and 3) the decreased ability of NK cells to become activated. Dekaris et al (18) found similar immunologic changes in lymphocyte subpopulations in prisoners of war, and stated "...immune reactivity could be down regulated to the point as to provide inadequate protection to infections or to cause autoimmunity (p. 599)."…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The Effects of a Nutrient-Enriched Bar on Host Defense Mechanisms and Immunogenicity of Hepatitis A Vaccine During US Army Ranger Training

Wood¹,

Kennedy²,

Shippee³

et al. 2000

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Multiple Changes of Immunologic Parameters in Prisoners of War

Cited by 61 publications

References 24 publications

Visual evoked potentials in relation to factors of imprisonment in detention camps

Visual evoked potentials in relation to factors of imprisonment in detention camps

Associations of childhood adversity and adulthood trauma with C-reactive protein: A cross-sectional population-based study

The Effects of a Nutrient-Enriched Bar on Host Defense Mechanisms and Immunogenicity of Hepatitis A Vaccine During US Army Ranger Training

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