Job strain and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1: results from the Swedish WOLF study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between job strain and elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out, comprising 1,954 actively working men and women between the ages of 19-64 years. Data were collected by questionnaire, clinical examination and blood samples.


RESULTS
Elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were more commonly noted in women exposed to job strain than in unexposed women (odds ratio 1.33; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.65). This association remained after we had adjusted for factors related to behaviour and general health, but became close to 1 after we had adjusted for factors related to the metabolic syndrome. For men, no association between job strain and elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 was observed (odds ratio 0.94; 95% confidence interval 0.71-1.26).


CONCLUSIONS
Women exposed to job strain were more inclined to respond with increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 than men. In this first study on the association between job strain and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in both men and women, we observed such a relationship among women but not among men. The data support the notion that job strain might affect the risk of coronary heart disease by influencing an important cardiovascular system: the metabolic syndrome.
Brostedt
Erica M
EM
Section on Developmental Genetic Epidemiology, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-2670, USA. ericabrostedt@mail.nih.gov
de Faire
Ulf
U
Westerholm
Peter
P
Knutsson
Anders
A
Alfredsson
Lars
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D014937:Work
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1