Lifecourse social position and D-dimer; findings from the 1958 British birth cohort.

The aim is to examine the association of lifecourse socioeconomic position (SEP) on circulating levels of D-dimer. Data from the 1958 British birth cohort were used, social class was determined at three stages of respondents' life: at birth, at 23 and at 42 years. A cumulative indicator score of SEP (CIS) was calculated ranging from 0 (always in the highest social class) to 9 (always in the lowest social class). In men and women, associations were observed between CIS and D-dimer (P<0.05). Thus, the respondents in more disadvantaged social classes had elevated levels of D-dimer compared to respondents in less disadvantaged social class. In multivariate analyses, the association of disadvantaged social position with D-dimer was largely explained by fibrinogen, C-reactive protein and von Willebrand Factor in women, and additionally by smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity in men. Socioeconomic circumstances across the lifecourse at various stages also contribute independently to raised levels of D-dimer in middle age in women only. Risk exposure related to SEP accumulates across life and contributes to raised levels of D-dimer. The association of haemostatic markers and social differences in health may be mediated by inflammatory and other markers.

Social differences in insulin-like growth factor-1: findings from a British birth cohort.

PURPOSE: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is related to factors that are socially patterned and may play a role in social differences in the development of morbidities including disability. Our aim is to examine whether there are social differences in IGF-1 in a cohort of participants between 44 and 45 years of age. METHODS: We examine the association of IGF-1 with social position measured by father's or own occupational class at three time points in childhood and adulthood, in a cohort of individuals born in one month in 1958 (N = 3,374 men and 3,302 women). RESULTS: Lower IGF-1 levels were associated with lower social position measured with father's occupational class at birth (p < 0.0001) and own occupational class aged 42 years (p < 0.001). Adult social position was associated with IGF-1 independently of social position at birth (p < 0.001) or any covariates examined. CONCLUSIONS: IGF-1 secretion is associated with social position such that low social position is associated with lower levels of IGF-1. This biomarker may play a role in the development of social differences in morbidities associated with aging, such as the development of disability.

Effects of socioeconomic position on inflammatory and hemostatic markers: a life-course analysis in the 1958 British birth cohort.

The cumulative effects of socioeconomic position (SEP) on cardiovascular disease have been described, but the pathways are unclear. In this study, the authors examined the effects of life-course SEP on inflammatory and hemostatic markers: fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, von Willebrand factor antigen, and tissue plasminogen activator antigen. Data from the 1958 British birth cohort, including data on persons who underwent a biomedical follow-up in 2002-2004, were used. Social class was determined at three stages of respondents' lives: childhood (birth), early adulthood (age 23 years), and midlife (age 42 years). A cumulative indicator score of SEP was calculated that ranged from 0 (always in the highest social class) to 9 (always in the lowest social class). In men and women, associations were observed between cumulative indicator score and fibrinogen (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), von Willebrand factor antigen (p < or = 0.05), and tissue plasminogen activator antigen (p < 0.001 only in women). The trends in fibrinogen and C-reactive protein remained after adjustment for body mass index, smoking, and physical activity. However, the trends became nonsignificant for von Willebrand factor antigen and tissue plasminogen activator antigen in women. Risk exposure related to SEP accumulates across the life course and contributes to raised levels of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, while childhood SEP influences hemostatic markers more than does adult SEP.