title: Epstein-Barr virus antibody titer and its association with the domain scores from the World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire: Findings from Rural Hainan Province, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody titer has recently been used as a biomarker of psychological stress. This is the first study to investigate the association between EBV antibody titer and perceived quality of life (QOL) in Hainan Island, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants from two regions of Hainan Island, recruited into a larger study investigating the health impact of rapid economic development among rural residents, were stratified by age, sex, and region; 15 people were randomly selected from each of the 16 subgroups, to give a total sample size of 240. EBV antibody titer in dried blood spot samples was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The abbreviated version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire was used to gather information on six categories of QOL. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between EBV antibody titer and QOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, region and C-reactive protein concentration, EBV antibody titer was negatively associated with the physical (P = 0.044) and psychological QOL domains (P = 0.039).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that among individuals living in an environment in the initial stages of economic development EBV antibody titer, a biomarker of psychological stress, is not only associated with the psychological aspects of QOL but is also linked to physical problems.
authors: Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
authors: Yosuke
authors: Y
authors: Inoue
authors: Aki
authors: A
authors: Yazawa
authors: Dandan
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: Jianwei
authors: J
authors: Du
authors: Yuming
authors: Y
authors: Jin
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Chiho
authors: C
authors: Watanabe
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Umezaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012922:Social Change; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers