title: Affective reactivity to daily stressors is associated with elevated inflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation increases the risk of chronic diseases, but the links between emotional responses to daily events and inflammation are unknown. We examined individual differences in affective reactivity to daily stressors (i.e., changes in positive and negative affect in response to stressors) as predictors of inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional sample of 872 adults from the National Study of Daily Experiences (substudy of Midlife in the United States II) reported daily stressors and affect during telephone interviews for 8 days. Blood samples were obtained at a separate clinic visit and assayed for inflammatory markers. Multilevel models estimated trait affective reactivity slopes for each participant, which were inputted into regression models to predict inflammation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People who experienced greater decreases in positive affect on days when stressors occurred (i.e., positive affect reactivity) had elevated log IL-6, independent of demographic, physical, psychological, and behavioral factors (B = 1.12, SE = 0.45, p = .01). Heightened negative affect reactivity was associated with higher log CRP among women (p = .03) but not men (p = .57); health behaviors accounted for this association in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adults who fail to maintain positive affect when faced with minor stressors in everyday life appear to have elevated levels of IL-6, a marker of inflammation. Women who experience increased negative affect when faced with minor stressors may be at particular risk of elevated inflammation. These findings add to growing evidence regarding the health implications of affective reactivity to daily stressors.
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthy Aging.
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2519-7797
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Graham-Engeland
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthy Aging.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein