title: Racial discrimination is associated with a measure of red blood cell oxidative stress: a potential pathway for racial health disparities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are racial health disparities in many conditions for which oxidative stress is hypothesized to be a precursor. These include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and premature aging. Small clinical studies suggest that psychological stress may increase oxidative stress. However, confirmation of this association in epidemiological studies has been limited by homogenous populations and unmeasured potential confounders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We tested the cross-sectional association between self-reported racial discrimination and red blood cell (RBC) oxidative stress in a biracial, socioeconomically heterogeneous population with well-measured confounders.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a consecutive series of 629 participants enrolled in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. Conducted by the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, HANDLS is a prospective epidemiological study of a socioeconomically diverse cohort of 3,721 Whites and African Americans aged 30-64 years. Racial discrimination was based on self-report. RBC oxidative stress was measured by fluorescent heme degradation products. Potential confounders were age, smoking status, obesity, and C-reactive protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a mean age of 49 years (SD = 9.27). In multivariable linear regression models, racial discrimination was significantly associated with RBC oxidative stress (Beta = 0.55, P < 0.05) after adjustment for age, smoking, C-reactive protein level, and obesity. When stratified by race, discrimination was not associated with RBC oxidative stress in Whites but was associated significantly for African Americans (Beta = 0.36, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that there may be identifiable cellular pathways by which racial discrimination amplifies cardiovascular and other age-related disease risks.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. sszanton@son.jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Szanton
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rifkind
authors.forename: Joy G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: Edgar R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Roland J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thorpe
authors.forename: Eneka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagababu
authors.forename: Elissa S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Epel
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Zonderman
authors.forename: Michele K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063505:Racism; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein