Urinary catecholamines and cortisol in recent-onset posttraumatic stress disorder after motor vehicle accidents

This study examined relationships among stress hormone levels, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and symptoms, and gender shortly after a common civilian trauma.

Levels of catecholamines and cortisol in 15-hour urine samples were examined in 55 adults who had been in serious motor vehicle accidents and in 22 age-matched control.

Catecholamines were related to PTSD diagnosis and symptoms, but only among men: PTSD-symptomatic men who had been in an accident exhibited elevated levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine 1 month after the accident and had higher epinephrine levels 5 months later. Intrusive thoughts predicted catecholamine levels at 1 month, and avoidance of trauma-relevant stimuli was associated with higher epinephrine levels 5 months later. These effects were not significant among women. Urinary cortisol was also elevated among PTSD-symptomatic men, but not women, and only immediately (1 month) after the accident. For men and women, greater emotional numbing predicted a lower cortisol level 6 months after the accident.

These findings were interpreted as limited support for the generalizability of findings in men with chronic, combat-related PTSD and indicate the need for additional research on psychoendocrine assessment of traumatized women and specific dimensions of PTSD symptomatology.