The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children

Naomi Priest; Shuaijun Guo; Dawid Gondek; Rebecca E. Lacey; David Burgner; Marnie Downes; Natalie Slopen; Sharon Goldfeld; Margarita Moreno-Betancur; Jessica A. Kerr; Stephanie Cahill; Melissa Wake; Markus Juonala; Kate Lycett; Meredith O'Connor

doi:10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550

The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children

Naomi Priest^*, Shuaijun Guo, Dawid Gondek, Rebecca E. Lacey, David Burgner, Marnie Downes, Natalie Slopen, Sharon Goldfeld, Margarita Moreno-Betancur, Jessica A. Kerr, Stephanie Cahill, Melissa Wake, Markus Juonala, Kate Lycett, Meredith O'Connor

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The relationship between childhood adversity and inflammation is well-established. Examination of positive experiences can provide a more complete understanding of intervention opportunities. We investigated associations of adverse and positive experiences, and their intersection, with inﬂammation in children and adolescents. Methods: Data sources: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; N = 1237) and Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 3488). Exposures: Adverse and positive experiences assessed repeatedly (LSAC: 0–11 years; ALSPAC: 0–15 years). Outcomes: Inﬂammation quantiﬁed by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) (LSAC: 11–12 years; ALSPAC: 15.5 years). Analyses: Linear regression on the log-transformed outcomes estimated the relative difference in inﬂammatory markers with adverse/positive experiences, adjusting for socio-demographics and concurrent positive/adverse experiences, respectively. Results: Most associations were in the expected direction but differed in magnitude by exposure, outcome and cohort. Across both cohorts, adverse experiences were associated with up to 7.3% higher hsCRP (95% CI: −18.6%, 33.2%) and up to 2.0% higher GlycA (95% CI: 0.5%, 3.5%); while positive experiences were associated with up to 22.1% lower hsCRP (95% CI: −49.0%, 4.7%) and 1.3% lower GlycA (95% CI: −2.7%, 0.2%). In LSAC, the beneficial effect of positive experiences on inflammation was more pronounced among those with fewer concurrent adverse experiences. Conclusion: Across two cohorts, we found small but directionally consistent associations between adverse experiences and higher inflammation, and positive experiences and lower inflammation, particularly for GlycA. Future research should give further consideration to positive experiences to complement the current focus on adversity and inform the design and evaluation of early life interventions.

Original language	English
Article number	100550
Journal	Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health
Volume	26
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550
Publication status	Published - Dec 2022

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Priest, N., Guo, S., Gondek, D., Lacey, R. E., Burgner, D., Downes, M., Slopen, N., Goldfeld, S., Moreno-Betancur, M., Kerr, J. A., Cahill, S., Wake, M., Juonala, M., Lycett, K., & O'Connor, M. (2022). The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health, 26, Article 100550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550

@article{3b357ef50021440bbfcdfd792cf52db2,

title = "The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children",

abstract = "Background: The relationship between childhood adversity and inflammation is well-established. Examination of positive experiences can provide a more complete understanding of intervention opportunities. We investigated associations of adverse and positive experiences, and their intersection, with inﬂammation in children and adolescents. Methods: Data sources: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; N = 1237) and Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 3488). Exposures: Adverse and positive experiences assessed repeatedly (LSAC: 0–11 years; ALSPAC: 0–15 years). Outcomes: Inﬂammation quantiﬁed by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) (LSAC: 11–12 years; ALSPAC: 15.5 years). Analyses: Linear regression on the log-transformed outcomes estimated the relative difference in inﬂammatory markers with adverse/positive experiences, adjusting for socio-demographics and concurrent positive/adverse experiences, respectively. Results: Most associations were in the expected direction but differed in magnitude by exposure, outcome and cohort. Across both cohorts, adverse experiences were associated with up to 7.3% higher hsCRP (95% CI: −18.6%, 33.2%) and up to 2.0% higher GlycA (95% CI: 0.5%, 3.5%); while positive experiences were associated with up to 22.1% lower hsCRP (95% CI: −49.0%, 4.7%) and 1.3% lower GlycA (95% CI: −2.7%, 0.2%). In LSAC, the beneficial effect of positive experiences on inflammation was more pronounced among those with fewer concurrent adverse experiences. Conclusion: Across two cohorts, we found small but directionally consistent associations between adverse experiences and higher inflammation, and positive experiences and lower inflammation, particularly for GlycA. Future research should give further consideration to positive experiences to complement the current focus on adversity and inform the design and evaluation of early life interventions.",

keywords = "ALSPAC, Adversity, Inflammation, LSAC, Longitudinal, Positive experiences",

author = "Naomi Priest and Shuaijun Guo and Dawid Gondek and Lacey, {Rebecca E.} and David Burgner and Marnie Downes and Natalie Slopen and Sharon Goldfeld and Margarita Moreno-Betancur and Kerr, {Jessica A.} and Stephanie Cahill and Melissa Wake and Markus Juonala and Kate Lycett and Meredith O'Connor",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550",

language = "English",

volume = "26",

journal = "Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health",

issn = "2666-3546",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

}

Priest, N, Guo, S, Gondek, D, Lacey, RE, Burgner, D, Downes, M, Slopen, N, Goldfeld, S, Moreno-Betancur, M, Kerr, JA, Cahill, S, Wake, M, Juonala, M, Lycett, K & O'Connor, M 2022, 'The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children', Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health, vol. 26, 100550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children

AU - Priest, Naomi

AU - Guo, Shuaijun

AU - Gondek, Dawid

AU - Lacey, Rebecca E.

AU - Burgner, David

AU - Downes, Marnie

AU - Slopen, Natalie

AU - Goldfeld, Sharon

AU - Moreno-Betancur, Margarita

AU - Kerr, Jessica A.

AU - Cahill, Stephanie

AU - Wake, Melissa

AU - Juonala, Markus

AU - Lycett, Kate

AU - O'Connor, Meredith

PY - 2022/12

Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - Background: The relationship between childhood adversity and inflammation is well-established. Examination of positive experiences can provide a more complete understanding of intervention opportunities. We investigated associations of adverse and positive experiences, and their intersection, with inﬂammation in children and adolescents. Methods: Data sources: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; N = 1237) and Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 3488). Exposures: Adverse and positive experiences assessed repeatedly (LSAC: 0–11 years; ALSPAC: 0–15 years). Outcomes: Inﬂammation quantiﬁed by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) (LSAC: 11–12 years; ALSPAC: 15.5 years). Analyses: Linear regression on the log-transformed outcomes estimated the relative difference in inﬂammatory markers with adverse/positive experiences, adjusting for socio-demographics and concurrent positive/adverse experiences, respectively. Results: Most associations were in the expected direction but differed in magnitude by exposure, outcome and cohort. Across both cohorts, adverse experiences were associated with up to 7.3% higher hsCRP (95% CI: −18.6%, 33.2%) and up to 2.0% higher GlycA (95% CI: 0.5%, 3.5%); while positive experiences were associated with up to 22.1% lower hsCRP (95% CI: −49.0%, 4.7%) and 1.3% lower GlycA (95% CI: −2.7%, 0.2%). In LSAC, the beneficial effect of positive experiences on inflammation was more pronounced among those with fewer concurrent adverse experiences. Conclusion: Across two cohorts, we found small but directionally consistent associations between adverse experiences and higher inflammation, and positive experiences and lower inflammation, particularly for GlycA. Future research should give further consideration to positive experiences to complement the current focus on adversity and inform the design and evaluation of early life interventions.

AB - Background: The relationship between childhood adversity and inflammation is well-established. Examination of positive experiences can provide a more complete understanding of intervention opportunities. We investigated associations of adverse and positive experiences, and their intersection, with inﬂammation in children and adolescents. Methods: Data sources: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; N = 1237) and Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 3488). Exposures: Adverse and positive experiences assessed repeatedly (LSAC: 0–11 years; ALSPAC: 0–15 years). Outcomes: Inﬂammation quantiﬁed by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) (LSAC: 11–12 years; ALSPAC: 15.5 years). Analyses: Linear regression on the log-transformed outcomes estimated the relative difference in inﬂammatory markers with adverse/positive experiences, adjusting for socio-demographics and concurrent positive/adverse experiences, respectively. Results: Most associations were in the expected direction but differed in magnitude by exposure, outcome and cohort. Across both cohorts, adverse experiences were associated with up to 7.3% higher hsCRP (95% CI: −18.6%, 33.2%) and up to 2.0% higher GlycA (95% CI: 0.5%, 3.5%); while positive experiences were associated with up to 22.1% lower hsCRP (95% CI: −49.0%, 4.7%) and 1.3% lower GlycA (95% CI: −2.7%, 0.2%). In LSAC, the beneficial effect of positive experiences on inflammation was more pronounced among those with fewer concurrent adverse experiences. Conclusion: Across two cohorts, we found small but directionally consistent associations between adverse experiences and higher inflammation, and positive experiences and lower inflammation, particularly for GlycA. Future research should give further consideration to positive experiences to complement the current focus on adversity and inform the design and evaluation of early life interventions.

KW - ALSPAC

KW - Adversity

KW - Inflammation

KW - LSAC

KW - Longitudinal

KW - Positive experiences

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142167378&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550

DO - 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100550

M3 - Article

SN - 2666-3546

VL - 26

JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health

JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health

M1 - 100550

ER -

The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children

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