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Loneliness in middle age and biomarkers of systemic inflammation: Findings from Midlife in the United States

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Nersesian, Paula V., Han, Hae-Ra, Yenokyan, Gayane, Blumenthal, Roger S., Nolan, Marie T., Hladek, Melissa D., Szanton, Sarah L.·2018·Social Science & Medicine

DOI 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.007PMC PMC6013269

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Abstract

Objective Middle-aged adults who are lonely have an elevated likelihood of death. Systemic inflammation may contribute to these increased odds. Using population-level data, this study tested if systemic inflammation is associated with loneliness in a broad age range of middle-aged adults in the United States.Methods This study used data from the Midlife in the US (MIDUS) survey Biomarker Project, which collected data on psychological, social, and physiological measures from a sample of middle-aged adults. This sample included the 927 participants who were 35-64 years at Biomarker Project data collection. MIDUS collected baseline data from 1995-1996 and a follow-up survey was conducted from 2004-2006. The baseline Milwaukee sample of African Americans was collected in 2005-2006 and the biomarker database was collected in 2004-2009. Biomarkers were obtained from a fasting blood sample. Self-reported loneliness was categorized as feeling lonely or not feeling lonely. Hierarchical regressions examined the association between biomarkers of systemic inflammation (interleukin-6, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein) and feeling lonely, adjusted for covariates.Results Twenty-nine percent of the sample reported feeling lonely most or some of the time. There was a positive significant relationship between loneliness and the three systemic inflammation biomarkers after controlling for covariates: interleukin-6 (n = 873) (b [se] = 0.07 [0.03], p = .014); fibrinogen (n = 867) (b [se] = 18.24 [7.12], p = .011); and C-reactive protein (n = 867) (b [se] = 0.08 [0.04], p = .035).Conclusions Feeling lonely is associated with systemic inflammation in middle-aged community-dwelling US adults.

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Authors: Nersesian, P. V., Han, H.-R., Yenokyan, G., Blumenthal, R. S., Nolan, M. T., Hladek, M. D., & Szanton, S. L.
Affiliations: Johns Hopkins University (US)
Corresponding author: Nersesian, Paula V.
ORCID: Nersesian, Paula V.
Han, Hae-Ra
Yenokyan, Gayane
Blumenthal, Roger S.
Nolan, Marie T.
Hladek, Melissa D.
Szanton, Sarah L.
Venue: Social Science & Medicine
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2018-07
Volume: 209
Pages: 174-181
ISSN: 0277-9536 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.007
PMC: PMC6013269
OpenAlex: W2800183257
Cited by: 120
References: 87
Citations by year: 2026: 5 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 1
FWCI: 11.78
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/open-access/userlicense/1.0/ (am, 347 d)
Locations: Social Science & Medicine (acceptedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders: the Pre-doctoral Clinical Research Training Program (TR001078)
Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
National Center for Research Resources (1UL1TR001079)
NCATS, NIH (UL1TR000427)
Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Health Research (5T32NR012704-04, 5T32NR012704-03)
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
National Institute of Nursing Research, NIH
the Jonas Nurse Scholars Program
the NEF Liesel M. Hiemenz scholarship
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development
National Institute on Aging (P01-AG020166)
General Clinical Research Centers Program (M01-RR023942, M01-RR00865)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords: loneliness, systemic inflammation, middle-aged adults, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, biomarkers, MIDUS, African Americans, mortality risk
MeSH terms: Adult, C-Reactive Protein, Female, Fibrinogen, Humans, Inflammation, Loneliness, Male, Middle Aged, United States, Biomarkers, Interleukin-6

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Loneliness in middle age and biomarkers of systemic inflammation: Findings from Midlife in the United States

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