Association Between Earthquake-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity and Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness in Young Adults

Introduction: This study explores the link between PTSD severity, measured by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) in young adults affected by the February 6, 2023, Turkey earthquakes. Methods: Our study with 192 participants divided by PCL-5 scores used blood pressure monitoring and PCL-5 to explore links between arterial stiffness and PTSD severity. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, Pearson correlations, and regression to identify PCL-5 predictors. Results: There was no significant correlation between the AASI and PCL-5 scores (r = -0.052, 95% CI = -0.192 to 0.09, p = 0.474). We included gender, age, and 24-hour diastolic blood pressure in the stepwise regression model to predict the PCL-5 score. The regression model was significant (F (3,103) = 11.07, p < 0.001) and explained 24.4% of the variance (R² = 0.244). Discussion: This study found no significant link between PTSD severity and AASI, measured by PCL-5, in healthy young adults after the major earthquake. However, associations with gender, age, and diastolic blood pressure highlight the importance of monitoring cardiovascular risk and mental health.