Endothelial function: the impact of objective and subjective socioeconomic status on flow-mediated dilation.
BACKGROUND
Although objective and subjective indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD), little is known about their relationship to endothelial dysfunction, which often precedes CVD.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined how objective and subjective SES relate to brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD).


METHODS
FMD was assessed in 72 healthy adults (mean age 36 years). The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status assessed perceived social standing in the USA (SSS-USA) and local community (SSS-Community). Objective SES measures included income and the Hollingshead Two-Factor Index of Social Position (education, occupation).


RESULTS
Adjusted regressions revealed that SSS-Community positively correlated with FMD (p < 0.05) and explained 8% of the variance. No other SES measures were significant for FMD. The association between FMD and SSS-Community remained significant (p < 0.01) after adjustment for objective SES and other covariates.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower subjective social status in one's community may be linked to CVD via impaired vasodilation.
Cooper
Denise C
DC
Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA. dccooper@ucsd.edu
Milic
Milos S
MS
Mills
Paul J
PJ
Bardwell
Wayne A
WA
Ziegler
Michael G
MG
Dimsdale
Joel E
JE
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D002784:Cholesterol