Objective: To investigate the association between optimism/pessimism and concentrations of seven inflammation and hemostasis markers. Optimism and pessimism are associated with cardiovascular disease mortality and progression; however, the biological mechanism remains unclear.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a study of 6814 persons aged 45 to 84 years with no history of clinical cardiovascular disease. The Life-Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) was used to measure dispositional optimism and pessimism. Regression analyses were used to estimate associations of optimism and pessimism with interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, homocysteine, Factor VIII, D-dimer, and plasmin-antiplasmin, before and after adjustment for sociodemographics, depression, cynicism, health behaviors, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, and diabetes.
Results: Higher scores on the LOT-R (positive disposition) were related to lower concentrations of IL-6 (p = .001), fibrinogen (p < .001), and homocysteine (p = .031). Associations were stronger for the pessimism subscale. After adjustment for demographics, the percentage differences in inflammatory markers corresponding to a 2-standard deviation increase in pessimism were 6.01% (p = .001) for IL-6, 10.31% (p = .001) for CRP, 2.47% (p < .0001) for fibrinogen, and 1.36% (p = .07) for homocysteine. Associations were attenuated but significant after adjustment for sociodemographics, depression, cynical distrust, and behaviors. Further adjustment for hypertension, BMI, and diabetes reduced associations for CRP and IL-6. Pessimism remained associated with a 1.36% (p = .02) increase in fibrinogen in the fully adjusted model. Factor VIII, D-dimer, and plasmin-antiplasmin were not associated with the LOT-R or subscales.
Conclusions: Pessimism is related to higher levels of inflammation. Health behaviors, BMI, hypertension, and diabetes seem to play a mediating role.