Objective, But Not Subjective, Measures of Early Life Adversity Are Associated with Elevated Serum Levels of High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein in Middle-aged Men

Abstract

Introduction Early life adversities have been suggested to associate with immune dysregulation in later life. Nevertheless, most earlier studies have relied on retrospective self-reports of early adversity. Objectives To investigate the association between serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels and objective and subjective measures of early adverse experiences in a population-based sample of 770 men aged 42–61 years. Aims To test whether objectively recorded early adversities associate with increased systemic inflammation more strongly than retrospectively self-reported early adversities. Methods Objective data on early adverse experiences were collected from primary and secondary school records. Subjective data were retrospectively inquired with a questionnaire at adulthood. The adverse experiences comprised family alcohol problems, parental divorce, and death of a family member. Having ≥ 1 adverse experiences was coded as having experienced early adversity. Serum hsCRP was measured with the Immulite High Sensitivity CRP Assay concurrently with the questionnaire data collection. Individuals with hsCRP>10 were excluded. The conducted logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age, marital status, education, smoking pack-years, alcohol use, maximal oxygen uptake, body mass index, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, regular pain medication, and depressive symptoms. Results Objectively recorded early adversities (n=185) associated with hsCRP levels ≥ 3 (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.02-2.95, p=0.04; reference hsCRP >1). No such association was detected with regard to subjectively reported early adversities (n=139; OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.92-2.92, p=0.10; reference hsCRP >1). Conclusions Objective measures of early adversity may more closely link with elevated systemic inflammation than self-reported retrospective measures of early adversity.