To Assess, to Control, to Exclude: Effects of Biobehavioral Factors on Circulating Inflammatory Markers

Overview

Journal Brain Behav Immun

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Allergy & Immunology
Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2009 Apr 25

PMID 19389469

Citations 273

Authors

Mary-Frances OConnor

Julie E Bower

Hyong Jin Cho

J David Creswell

Stoyan Dimitrov

Mary E Hamby

Michael A Hoyt

Jennifer L Martin

Theodore F Robles

Erica K Sloan

KaMala S Thomas

Michael R Irwin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Behavioral scientists have increasingly included inflammatory biology as mechanisms in their investigation of psychosocial dynamics on the pathobiology of disease. However, a lack of standardization of inclusion and exclusion criteria and assessment of relevant control variables impacts the interpretation of these studies. The present paper reviews and discusses human biobehavioral factors that can affect the measurement of circulating markers of inflammation. Keywords relevant to inflammatory biology and biobehavioral factors were searched through PubMed. Age, sex, and hormonal status, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and race, body mass index, exercise, diet, caffeine, smoking, alcohol, sleep disruption, antidepressants, aspirin, and medications for cardiovascular disease are all reviewed. A tiered set of recommendations as to whether each variable should be assessed, controlled for, or used as an exclusion criteria is provided. These recommendations provide a framework for observational and intervention studies investigating linkages between psychosocial and behavioral factors and inflammation.

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