Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38438749›Full record

Observational studyInternational journal of behavioral medicine2025

Associations of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Clusters and Pain Interference in Post-9/11 Veterans: Exploring Sleep Impairment and Physical Activity as Underlying Mechanisms.

Mariel Emrich, Katherine E Gnall, Camille L Garnsey, Jamilah R George, Crystal L Park, Carolyn M Mazure, Rani A Hoff

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in International journal of behavioral medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mariel EmrichDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA. mariel.emrich@uconn.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2901-7896
Katherine E GnallDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA.
Camille L GarnseyDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA.
Jamilah R GeorgeDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA.
Crystal L ParkDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA.
Carolyn M MazureDepartment of Psychiatry, Women's Health Research at Yale, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Rani A HoffNortheast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.

Funding

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CSR&D Grant ZDA1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and pain are highly prevalent and comorbid, particularly in veterans, but mechanisms explaining their linkage remain unclear. The aims of this study were to determine: (1) whether sleep impairment and physical activity (PA) mediate relations between PTSD symptoms and pain interference (assessed both longitudinally and as residual change) and (2) the unique roles of each PTSD symptom cluster in those relationships.

methodsThe present study is a secondary analysis of a longitudinal observational investigation of 673 post-9/11 veterans (45.8% women). Surveys were administered at baseline and 3-month and 6-month follow-ups.

resultsPTSD symptoms were significantly associated with pain interference longitudinally and worsening pain interference over time. Sleep impairment, but not PA, significantly mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and subsequent pain interference. Hyperarousal symptoms were found to be the primary driver of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and pain interference and re-experiencing symptoms were associated with change in pain interference via sleep impairment. Men and women did not differ on any of the study variables with the exception of PA.

conclusionFindings underscore the importance of targeting sleep as a key modifiable health factor linking PTSD symptoms to pain interference in post-9/11 veterans.

Indexed as

ExercisePainSleep Wake DisordersStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticVeteransAdultFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedSeptember 11 Terrorist AttacksModifiable health factorsPain interferencePhysical activityPosttraumatic stress disorder symptomsSleep impairment

Identifiers

PMID38438749

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.