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. 2016 Oct;23(5):611-20.
doi: 10.1007/s12529-016-9553-z.

Psychological Resources Are Independently Associated with Markers of Inflammation in a Middle-Aged Community Sample

Ina Marteinsdottir  1 , Jan Ernerudh  2 , Lena Jonasson  3 , Margareta Kristenson  4 , Peter Garvin  4   5
Affiliations

Psychological Resources Are Independently Associated with Markers of Inflammation in a Middle-Aged Community Sample

Ina Marteinsdottir et al. Int J Behav Med. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: To elucidate possible independent associations of psychological resources with inflammatory markers, all linked with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Method: In a middle-aged general population (n = 944), psychological resources (coping, self-esteem, and sense of coherence (SOC)), a global measure of quality of life (Cantril's self-anchoring ladder, also called "ladder of life"), and psychological risk factors (hopelessness, vital exhaustion, and depressive symptoms) were used in linear regression models to evaluate associations with the inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. Adjustments were done for age, sex, medical conditions, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Results: After full adjustments, self-esteem was independently associated with all three biomarkers. Ladder of life was associated with IL-6 and log-CRP; coping, vital exhaustion, and depressive symptoms with IL-6; and SOC with MMP-9 (p < 0.05 for all associations).

Conclusion: Numerous significant associations of psychological resources and risk factors with IL-6, CRP, and MMP-9 were found in a community-based sample. The associations of psychological resources were mostly independent, while the psychological risk factors seemed preferentially dependent on lifestyle factors as smoking, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). This suggests that the psychological resources' (in particular self-esteem) protective effects on CHD are linked to inflammatory markers.

Keywords: Biomarker; Epidemiology; Inflammation; Positive psychology, self-anchoring ladder; Psychoneuroimmunology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical Standards All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest The LSH study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (2004–1881) and the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation (2004053). The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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