Common laboratory measures of global health may not be suited to assess, discriminate or predict chronic stress effects on biological systems

BACKGROUND: There is a longstanding discussion that prolonged psychological stress can have negative somatic effects, especially in respect to endocrinological and immunological changes. Yet, the clinical significance of these findings is still unclear. Patients with prolonged stress should show more signs and symptoms of related illnesses.

AIM: The question we like to answer in this study is: are laboratory measures of global health suited to assess, discriminate or predict chronic psychological stress effects on biological systems?

METHODS: Included were 50 inpatients who were suffering from post-traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED), a condition that causes persistent and intense psychological distress. They were compared with a group of 50 matched control patients with unselected psychosomatic disorders but no immediate stress and strain. Gender distribution and age were the same in both samples because of the matching (60% women; mean age: 49 years). PTED patients had an average duration of illness of 31.7 (±35.5) months. In the SCL-90 they showed an average GSI score of 1.13 (±0.55) compared with 0.74 (±0.50) in the controls, as indicator of their increased psychological strain. Between groups, we compared the results of 24 laboratory tests, which can be seen as indicators of functioning of all important body systems. Results: There was no significant difference in the results of laboratory tests between groups and especially no indicators for different rates of immunological or inflammatory illnesses.

CONCLUSION: Laboratory measures of global health may not be suited to assess, discriminate or predict psychological chronic stress effects on important biological systems.