title: Novel coronary heart disease risk factors at 60-64 years and life course socioeconomic position: the 1946 British birth cohort.
abstract: Social disadvantage across the life course is associated with a greater risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and with established CHD risk factors, but less is known about whether novel CHD risk factors show the same patterns. The Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development was used to investigate associations between occupational socioeconomic position during childhood, early adulthood and middle age and markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6), endothelial function (E-selectin, tissue-plasminogen activator), adipocyte function (leptin, adiponectin) and pancreatic beta cell function (proinsulin) measured at 60-64 years. Life course models representing sensitive periods, accumulation of risk and social mobility were compared with a saturated model to ascertain the nature of the relationship between social class across the life course and each of these novel CHD risk factors. For interleukin-6 and leptin, low childhood socioeconomic position alone was associated with high risk factor levels at 60-64 years, while for C-reactive protein and proinsulin, cumulative effects of low socioeconomic position in both childhood and early adulthood were associated with higher (adverse) risk factor levels at 60-64 years. No associations were observed between socioeconomic position at any life period with either endothelial marker or adiponectin. Associations for C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, leptin and proinsulin were reduced considerably by adjustment for body mass index and, to a lesser extent, cigarette smoking. In conclusion, socioeconomic position in early life is an important determinant of several novel CHD risk factors. Body mass index may be an important mediator of these relationships.
authors.affiliation: Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.affiliation: British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sattar
authors.affiliation: Vascular Physiology Unit, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College of London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Deanfield
authors.affiliation: National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College Academic Health Sciences Centre, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuh
authors.affiliation: Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Emily T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: pwhincup@sgul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Whincup
authors.affiliation: Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011384:Proinsulin / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D019040:E-Selectin; D007328:Insulin; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D011384:Proinsulin; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator
keywords: Adipocyte; Birth cohort; Endothelial; Inflammation; Life course; Proinsulin; Socioeconomic position