ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder with delayed or chronic onset caused by unusual, threatening, or disastrous psychological trauma, and it is an important manifestation of post-disaster mental and behavioral disorders. Studies have shown that IL-6 is a cytokine associated with PTSD occurrence. This study aimed to explore the role of cytokine and ethnicity in the pathogenesis of PTSD by examining levels of serum cytokines IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and cortisol in PTSD patients of Li and Han ethnic groups.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Levels of serum cytokines IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and cortisol were examined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) method and assessed by PCL-C scale among 30 PTSD patients of Han ethnicity and 30 of Li ethnicity, and compared with 30 normal controls of Han and Li ethnicity, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PTSD patients of Li ethnicity scored higher than PTSD patients of Han ethnicity, and normal controls of Li and Han ethnic groups in each of the re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, and hyperarousal symptoms. The differences reached statistical significance (P < 0.05). In PTSD patients of Li ethnicity compared to patients of Han ethnicity and normal controls of either Li or Han ethnicity, the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were higher, and the level of cortisol was lower.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There are ethnic differences in re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, and hyperarousal symptoms among PTSD patients. The levels of serum cortisol and cytokines are strongly associated with the race.</p>