Is job-related stress the link between cardiovascular disease and the law enforcement profession?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether job-related stress is associated with alterations in pro- and anti-atherogenic inflammatory mediators among law enforcement officers.


METHODS
Markers of vascular inflammation and the self-reported stress measures of perceived stress, vital exhaustion, job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and social support were compared between officers (N = 444) and non-officers (N = 166).


RESULTS
Officers had higher levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha and lower levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. No more than 4% of the variability in any of the inflammatory mediators was explained by any stress measure for either the two groups or the entire sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Law enforcement officers may be at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease due to a relatively greater pro-inflammatory vascular environment. However, this increased risk cannot be attributed to either chronic stress or the work-related stress measures assessed here.
Franke
Warren D
WD
Department of Kinesiology, Institute for Social and Behavioral Research, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA. wfranke@iastate.edu
Kohut
Marian L
ML
Russell
Daniel W
DW
Yoo
Hye Lim
HL
Ekkekakis
Panteleimon
P
Ramey
Sandra P
SP
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016495:Police; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires