Examining the Relationships Between Psychosocial Stress Exposure, Glucocorticoid Resistance in Immune Cells and Cardiometabolic Risk

• Main Author: Eckerle, William
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Caregivers; Cholesterol; Cytokines; Epidemiology; Glucose; High density lipoprotein; Immunology; Insulin resistance; Internet and social media studies; Medicine; Missing data; Pharmaceutical sciences; Phlebotomy; Plasma; Public health; Sample size; Social networks; Software; Statistics; Threats; Triglycerides; Web studies
• ISBN: 9798383011058

The present study examined the relationships between chronic stress, glucocorticoid resistance in immune cells and cardiometabolic risk factors. 247 adults completed measures of psychological stress and underwent a blood draw and anthropometric assessment. Glucocorticoid resistance was measured as the concentration of dexamethasone required to reduce IL-6 concentration in half after mitogen exposure, and cardiometabolic risk consisted of a composite score of blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose scores, HDL, and waist circumference. Linear regression analyses revealed largely null results. Stress was not found to be associated with glucocorticoid resistance or cardiometabolic risk across 3 of 4 measures of psychological stress. A small, negative association between a novel measure of chronic stress and glucocorticoid resistance was observed. Results suggest need for further research into the conditions under which stress alters immune and cardiometabolic functioning.