Effects of socioeconomic position on inflammatory and hemostatic markers: a life-course analysis in the 1958 British birth cohort.

Full Abstract

The cumulative effects of socioeconomic position (SEP) on cardiovascular disease have been described, but the pathways are unclear. In this study, the authors examined the effects of life-course SEP on inflammatory and hemostatic markers:
fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, von Willebrand factor antigen, and tissue plasminogen activator antigen. Data from the 1958 British birth cohort, including data on persons who underwent a biomedical follow-up in 2002-2004, were used. Social class was determined at three stages of respondents' lives:
childhood (birth), early adulthood (age 23 years), and midlife (age 42 years). A cumulative indicator score of SEP was calculated that ranged from 0 (always in the highest social class) to 9 (always in the lowest social class). In men and women, associations were observed between cumulative indicator score and fibrinogen (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), von Willebrand factor antigen (p < or = 0.05), and tissue plasminogen activator antigen (p < 0.001 only in women). The trends in fibrinogen and C-reactive protein remained after adjustment for body mass index, smoking, and physical activity. However, the trends became nonsignificant for von Willebrand factor antigen and tissue plasminogen activator antigen in women. Risk exposure related to SEP accumulates across the life course and contributes to raised levels of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, while childhood SEP influences hemostatic markers more than does adult SEP.

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Author information

Author/s: Tabassum, Faiza (F); Kumari, Meena (M); Rumley, Ann (A); Lowe, Gordon (G); Power, Chris (C); Strachan, David P (DP);

Affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom. f.tabassum(-atsign-)ucl.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: American journal of epidemiology (Am J Epidemiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 167 (issue 11) : pp 1332-41

Dates: Created 2008/05/26; Completed 2008/06/17;

PMID: 18367468, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Biological Markers - analysis
C-Reactive Protein - analysis
Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology
England - epidemiology
Female
Fibrinogen - analysis

Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Regression Analysis
Social Class
Tissue Plasminogen Activator - analysis
von Willebrand Factor - analysis

Associated Chemicals: Biological Markers (0) ; von Willebrand Factor (0) ; Fibrinogen (9001-32-5) ; C-Reactive Protein (9007-41-4) ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator (EC 3.4.21.68)

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