Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34941922›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2021

Psychosocial stress and neuroendocrine biomarker concentrations among women living with or without HIV.

Matthew E Levy, Ansley Waters, Sabyasachi Sen, Amanda D Castel, Michael Plankey, Sherry Molock, Federico Asch, Lakshmi Goparaju, Seble Kassaye

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Metabolomics of HIV in the Modern cART Era.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Validity of mental and physical stress models.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2024
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Matthew E LevyDepartment of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-2164-1726
Ansley WatersDepartment of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-0811-4075
Sabyasachi SenDivision of Endocrinology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Amanda D CastelDepartment of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Michael PlankeyDepartment of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Sherry MolockDepartment of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Federico AschCardiovascular Core Laboratories and Cardiac Imaging Research, MedStar Health Research Institute, MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Lakshmi GoparajuDepartment of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Seble KassayeDepartment of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Georgetown University · USMilken Institute · USGeorge Washington University · USMedStar Heart & Vascular Institute · US

Funding

Sex differences in the role of multi-omicsin HIV-associated carotid artery atherosclerosisU01HL146193 · NHLBI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Stephen J Gange, Elizabeth Topper · 2019 to 2026
$35.8M
SWG 2: Cure Research Scientific Working GroupP30AI117970 · NIAID · GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI Italo Mocchetti · 2015 to 2026
$29.6M
Surviving the HIV Epidemic (S/HE) in metropolitan Washington DC - Advancing knowledge through cohort studiesU01HL146205 · NHLBI · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY · PI SEBLE G KASSAYE, DANIEL J MERENSTEIN · 2019 to 2026
$23.5M
NHLBI NIH HHS U01 HL146193NHLBI NIH HHS U01 HL146205NIAID NIH HHS P30 AI117970
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWomen living with HIV (WLWH) experience psychosocial stress related to social-structural vulnerabilities. To investigate neuroendocrine pathways linking stress and increased cardiovascular disease risk among WLWH, we evaluated associations between psychosocial stress (i.e., perceived stress, posttraumatic stress, and experiences of race- and gender-based harassment) and a composite neuroendocrine biomarker index among WLWH and women without HIV.

methodsIn 2019-2020, Women's Interagency HIV Study participants in Washington, DC completed a questionnaire and provided blood and 12-hour overnight urine samples for testing of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and urinary free cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Psychosocial stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, and Racialized Sexual Harassment Scale. Latent profile analysis was used to classify participants into low (38%), moderate (44%), and high (18%) stress groups. Composite biomarker index scores between 0-4 were assigned based on participants' number of neuroendocrine biomarkers in high-risk quartiles (≥75th percentile for cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine and ≤25th percentile for DHEA-S). We evaluated associations between latent profile and composite biomarker index values using multivariable linear regression, adjusting for socio-demographic, behavioral, metabolic, and HIV-related factors.

resultsAmong 90 women, 62% were WLWH, 53% were non-Hispanic Black, and median age was 55 years. In full multivariable models, there was no statistically significant association between psychosocial stress and composite biomarker index values among all women independent of HIV status. High (vs. low) psychosocial stress was positively associated with higher mean composite biomarker index values among all monoracial Black women (adjusted β = 1.32; 95% CI: 0.20-2.43), Black WLWH (adjusted β = 1.93; 95% CI: 0.02-3.83) and Black HIV-negative women (adjusted β = 2.54; 95% CI: 0.41-4.67).

conclusionsDespite a null association in the overall sample, greater psychosocial stress was positively associated with higher neuroendocrine biomarker concentrations among Black women, highlighting a plausible mechanism by which psychosocial stress could contribute to cardiovascular disease risk.

Indexed as

HIV-1HIV InfectionsBiomarkersDistrict of ColumbiaEpinephrineFemaleHumansHydrocortisoneMiddle AgedNorepinephrineProspective StudiesSocioeconomic FactorsStress, PsychologicalBiomarkersEpinephrineHydrocortisoneNorepinephrine

Identifiers

PMID34941922
PMCPMC8699620
OpenAlexW4200613828

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.