Cynicism, Stress and Depression Increase Heart Disease Risk?

Ivanhoe Newswire
Tuesday, January 23, 2007; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- We may now know how characteristics like cynical distrust, chronic stress, and depression could increase the risk of heart disease.

New research from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor reveals psychosocial factors may raise the levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have linked the personality characteristics with cardiovascular disease and death, but how they are linked was unclear.

Researchers looked at 6,814 men and women between ages 45 and 84. They analyzed blood samples for levels of IL-6, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen -- all chemicals found in the blood when a body experiences inflammation.

The report reveals associations between all three psychosocial factors and inflammatory markers. The strongest and most consistent association was for cynical distrust, which was linked to all three markers. Chronic stress was linked to IL-6 levels and moderately linked to C-reactive protein level. Depression was only associated with elevated levels of IL-6l.

Study authors write this suggests at least part of the link may be because of the mediating role of behaviors. For example, psychosocial factors like the ones studied here may increase the chance a person smokes, which raises levels of inflammatory markers. More studies are needed to determine if the relationship between inflammation and personality traits has more to do with other unhealthy behaviors.

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SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2007;167:174-181