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The association between anxiety and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels: Results from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

T. Liukkonen ,
P. Räsänen ,
J. Jokelainen ,
M. Leinonen ,
M.-R. Järvelin ,
V.B. Meyer-Rochow  and
M. Timonen
T. Liukkonen*
Affiliation:
Savonlinna Central Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Keskussairaalantie 6, 57120Savonlinna, Finland University of Oulu, Institute of Health Sciences, Box 5000, 90014University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
P. Räsänen
Affiliation:
University of Oulu, Department of Psychiatry, Box 5000, 90014Oulu, Finland
J. Jokelainen
Affiliation:
University of Oulu, Institute of Health Sciences, Box 5000, 90014University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland Unit of General Practice, Oulu University Hospital, 90029Oys, Finland
M. Leinonen
Affiliation:
Institute for Health and Welfare, Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Unit, Box 310, 90101Oulu, Finland
M.-R. Järvelin
Affiliation:
University of Oulu, Institute of Health Sciences, Box 5000, 90014University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College, Faculty of Medicine, Norfolk Place, London, W21 PG, UK Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Box 5000, 90014Oulu, Finland Lifecourse and service Department, National Institute of Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 310, 90101Oulu, Finland
V.B. Meyer-Rochow
Affiliation:
Jacobs University Bremen, School of Engineering & Science, 28725Bremen, Germany Department of Physiology, Box 5000, 90014University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
M. Timonen
Affiliation:
University of Oulu, Institute of Health Sciences, Box 5000, 90014University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland Oulu Health Centre, Box 8, 90015Oulu, Finland
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +358 15 581 7015; fax: +358 15 5817016. E-mail address: [email protected] (T. Liukkonen).
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Abstract

Background

Anxiety frequently accompanies low-grade inflammation-associated conditions like depression, insulin resistance, coronary heart disease and metabolic syndrome. The association between anxiety and low-grade inflammation is, unlike between depression and low-grade inflammation, a very sparsely studied area in general populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether anxiety symptoms as well as comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with low-grade inflammation at population level.

Methods

The general population-based Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort was followed until age 31 (n = 2688 males and 2837 females), when the highly sensitive CRP concentrations were measured. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were defined by Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25).

Results

After adjusting for confounders, logistic regression analyses showed that anxiety symptoms alone increased the probability for elevated hs-CRP levels (> 3.0 mg/L) in males over two-fold (2.19 CI 95% 1.08–4.46), while comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms caused a 1.7-fold (1.76 CI 95% 1.13–2.74) increase in the probability for elevated hs-CRP levels (1.0–3.0 mg/L).

Conclusions

Our results support the hypothesis that anxiety as well as comorbid anxiety and depression can be associated with an increased risk for low-grade inflammation in males at population level.

Keywords

Anxiety disordersUnipolar depressionEpidemiologyNeuroendogrinology
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 26 , Issue 6 , September 2011 , pp. 363 - 369
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2011

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