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Handgrip Strength of World Trade Center (WTC) Responders: The Role of Re-Experiencing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms

Author

Listed:
  • Soumyadeep Mukherjee

    (Community Health and Wellness, Health & Physical Education Department, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI 02908, USA)

  • Sean Clouston

    (Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA)

  • Roman Kotov

    (Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA)

  • Evelyn Bromet

    (Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA)

  • Benjamin Luft

    (World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program Director, Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA)

Abstract

Background : This study sought to examine whether handgrip strength (HGS), a measure of muscle strength and a biomarker of aging, was associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a cohort of World Trade Center (WTC) responders at midlife. Methods : HGS was assessed utilizing a computer-assisted hand dynamometer administered to a consecutive sample of men and women ( n = 2016) who participated in rescue and recovery efforts following the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks and subsequently attended monitoring appointments in Long Island, NY. PTSD symptom severity and depressive symptoms were assessed using the PTSD specific-trauma checklist (PCL-S) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). General linear models were used to examine the association of WTC-related PTSD with HGS after adjusting for confounders. Results : The sample was at midlife (mean age = 53.3) when assessed, and 91.3% were men. Nearly 10% of the sample had probable PTSD (PCL ≥ 44) with concomitant depression (PHQ ≥ 10), while 5.1% had probable PTSD without depression. Average HGS was 57.4 lbs. (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 56.6–58.1) among men and 36.1 lbs. (95% CI = 33.8–38.5) among women. Mean HGS of those with probable PTSD with concomitant depression was lower (45.9 lbs., 95% CI = 43.6–48.2) than responders with only PTSD (49.1 lbs., 95% CI = 46.0–52.4) and those without PTSD or depression (57.5 lbs., 95% CI = 56.2–57.8). Subdomain analyses of PTSD symptoms revealed that re-experiencing symptoms at enrollment ( p = 0.003) was associated with lower HGS after adjusting for depressive symptoms and other confounders. Discussion : Results suggested that higher WTC-related PTSD symptom severity was associated with lower HGS. Results support ongoing work suggesting that PTSD may be associated with more rapid physical aging. The potential for developing interventions that might simultaneously improve physical and mental health in the aftermath of trauma may be considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Soumyadeep Mukherjee & Sean Clouston & Roman Kotov & Evelyn Bromet & Benjamin Luft, 2019. "Handgrip Strength of World Trade Center (WTC) Responders: The Role of Re-Experiencing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:7:p:1128-:d:218127
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Robert D. Daniels & Sean A. P. Clouston & Charles B. Hall & Kristi R. Anderson & David A. Bennett & Evelyn J. Bromet & Geoffrey M. Calvert & Tania Carreón & Steven T. DeKosky & Erica D. Diminich & Cal, 2021. "A Workshop on Cognitive Aging and Impairment in the 9/11-Exposed Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-24, January.
    2. Robert M. Brackbill & Judith M. Graber & William A. (Allen) Robison, 2019. "Editorial for “Long-Term Health Effects of the 9/11 Disaster” in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-6, September.
    3. Albeliz Santiago-Colón & Robert Daniels & Dori Reissman & Kristi Anderson & Geoffrey Calvert & Alexis Caplan & Tania Carreón & Alan Katruska & Travis Kubale & Ruiling Liu & Rhonda Nembhard & W. Allen , 2020. "World Trade Center Health Program: First Decade of Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-25, October.

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