Historical and regional particularities in the prevalence of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder in East and West Germany

Background Epidemiological research on the prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD has shown that there are significant differences between countries, due to their different history and socialization processes. In the case of Germany, this is particularly relevant. Germany was divided into two states from 1949 to 1990. This study examines the prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD in the formerly divided East and West Germany. Methods For the prevalence of traumatic events, we used data from four representative surveys (years 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2016) with a total of N = 9,200 respondents. For the analyses of PTSD prevalence, we used data from three representative surveys (years 2005, 2007, 2008) with a total of N = 6676 respondents. We compared different birth cohorts, persons living in the former West vs. East Germany, and the application of different diagnostic criteria using a chi-square test. Results The overall one-month prevalence rate for PTSD was 3.4% (3.0% for men and 3.8% for women). We found significant differences in the occurrence of traumatic events between genders, different age cohorts as well as between people who live in East and West Germany. Significant differences in the prevalence of PTSD can only be observed for different age cohorts. Most of the age effects are due to traumatic events related to World War II (WWII). Prevalence rates for PTSD were higher when the diagnostic criterions of the DSM-V were applied compared to the criterions of the DSM-IV. Conclusions Our data suggests that socio-political factors may need to be considered when accounting for differences in occurrence rates of traumatic events, but not for prevalence rates of PTSD, between East and West Germany. People who have experienced WW II have a higher risk of suffering from PTSD. Future epidemiological trauma research should take historical and regional peculiarities of countries into account

Historical and regional particularities in the prevalence of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder in Germany

Purpose: Research on prevalence rates of traumatic events and PTSD has shown significant differences between countries, due to their different history and socialization processes. In the case of Germany, with its history of two divided states, this is highly relevant. This study explores the prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD in formerly divided East and West Germany. Methods: We used data of four representative surveys (years 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2016) for the prevalence of traumatic events with a total of N = 9.200 respondents. For the analyses of the prevalence of PTSD we used data of three representative surveys (years 2005, 2007, 2008) with a total of N = 6676 respondents. We compared different birth cohorts as well as persons who lived in the former West vs. East using a Chi-Square-Test. Results: We found significant differences in the occurrence of traumatic events between genders, different age cohorts as well as between people who live in East and West Germany. Significant differences in the prevalence of PTSD can only be observed for different age cohorts. Most of the age effects may be due to traumatic events related to WWII. Conclusions: Our data suggests that socio-political factors may need to be considered when accounting for differences in occurrence rates of traumatic events between East and West Germany. However, we couldn’t find any differences in the overall prevalence of PTSD between the former GDR and FRG. Nevertheless, future epidemiological trauma research should take historical and regional peculiarities of countries into account

Data on IL-6 c.-174 G>C genotype and allele frequencies in patients with coronary heart disease in dependence of cardiovascular outcome

In this data article we present data on the distribution of alleles and genotypes of the interleukin (IL)-6 c.-174 G>C polymorphism (rs 1800795) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in dependence of the incidence of new cardiovascular events (combined endpoint: myocardial infarction, stroke/TIA, cardiac death, death according to stroke) within three years follow-up. Moreover, we investigated putative associations between individual expression of IL-6 genotypes and IL-6 serum level. This investigation is a subanalysis of the article entitled “The Interleukin 6 c.-174 CC genotype is a predictor for new cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease within three years follow-up“ (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01045070) (Reichert et al., 2016) [1]. Keywords: Coronary heart disease, IL-6 serum level, IL-6 polymorphism, New cardiovascular event

Childhood maltreatment, depression and their link to adult economic burdens

Adult depression is a common consequence of adverse childhood experience. There is also a higher likelihood of being affected by economic burdens after having expierienced a traumatic event in childhood. As depression has been associated with economic burden, these long-term sequelae of childhood adversity are likely to interact. We investigated depression and economic consequences, such as unemployment, lower level of education, lower income as long term sequelae of adverse childhood experiences in adulthood and their interaction. Childhood Maltreatment was measured by the German version of the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire. Depression was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). Logistic regressions were applied to investigate the risks of suffering economic burdens, with depression as a moderator. Depressive symptoms increased with the number of ACEs and were highest in those reporting four or more ACEs, especially amongst those who experienced sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. Moderation analysis showed a significant effect of depression incresing almost all economic burdens. Migration background additionally increased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job. Female gender decreased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job, but increased the risk of low income and part-time employment. The moderation effect of depression increased the negative impact of exposure to multiple ACEs on economic life in adulthood. Prevention of ACEs and early intervention are needed to prevent the mental health and economic consequences

Aggregation of Donor Base Stabilized 2-Thienyllithium in a Single Crystal and in Solution: Distances from X-ray Diffraction and the Nuclear Overhauser Effect

Various 2-thienyllithium derivatives were investigated in the solid state by X-ray diffraction and in solution by 2D NMR experiments. The determined structures of [(Et₂O)­Li­(C₄H₃S)]₄ (<b>1</b>), [(THF)₂Li­(C₄H₃S)]₂ (<b>2</b>), [(DME)­Li­(C₄H₃S)]₂ (<b>3</b>), [(TMEDA)­Li­(C₄H₃S)]₂ (<b>4</b>), and [(PMDETA)­Li­(C₄H₃S)] (<b>5</b>) (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane, TMEDA = <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>′-tetramethylethylene-1,2-diamine, and PMDETA = <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>″,<i>N</i>″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) were solved in nondonating toluene and provide firm ground for diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy as well as heteronuclear Overhauser enhancement NMR spectroscopy. The distance relation of nuclear Overhauser effects with a factor of <i>r</i>^–6 is employed to gain further insight into the aggregation degree of <b>1</b>–<b>5</b> in solution. Comparison of the slope provided by the linear region of the buildup curves and of the ∑<i>r</i>^–6 calculated distances from the crystal structures offers a handle to judge the structure retention versus conversion in solution. The structures of <b>3</b>–<b>5</b> are maintained in toluene solution. The data of <b>2</b>, however, indicate a partial dissociation or a rapid exchange between the vertices of a tetrameric core and free THF molecules. Auxiliary exchange spectroscopy investigations showed that the signals of the nitrogen donor base containing compounds <b>4</b> and <b>5</b> exchange with the signals of nonlithiated thiophene. This is explained by exchange of the deuterium by a hydrogen atom via lithiation of toluene molecules