Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40514590›Full record

ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2025

Investigating psychosocial factors and systemic inflammation using dried blood spots: a scoping review.

William A H Schwartz, Tyler A Jacobson, Ramzy P Issa, Q Eileen Wafford, Denise A Nunes, William E Funk, Gregory E Miller, Thomas W McDade, Joseph M Feinglass

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

William A H SchwartzDepartment of Psychiatry, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY, 10075, USA. will.a.h.schwartz@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5423-9899
Tyler A JacobsonDepartment of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9655-1186
Ramzy P IssaDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 420 E. Superior Street, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-3097-6796
Q Eileen WaffordGalter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5228-8219
Denise A NunesGalter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6825-6227
William E FunkDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 420 E. Superior Street, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4819-0507
Gregory E MillerDepartment of Psychology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60611, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7217-1082
Thomas W McDadeInstitute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5829-648X
Joseph M FeinglassDivision of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3665-8897

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis scoping review has two primary aims: (1) to synthesize U.S.-based studies utilizing dried blood spot (DBS) sampling to examine associations between psychosocial factors and systemic inflammation, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP), and (2) to evaluate the methodological utility of DBS for advancing inclusive, population-based biomarker research. We explore DBS adoption, variability in methods and findings, and how this approach can enhance understanding of health disparities driven by psychosocial stressors.

methodsA comprehensive search of databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Plus, and PsycINFO was conducted. Inclusion criteria encompassed U.S.-based studies employing DBS sampling to quantify CRP in relation to psychosocial factors. Studies were categorized into four domains: socioeconomic and neighborhood contexts, adverse life events and trauma, social experiences and interpersonal dynamics, and mental health and emotional well-being. Data were extracted, synthesized, and narratively analyzed.

resultsThirty studies met inclusion criteria, with sample sizes ranging from 20 to 13,236. Key findings indicated strong associations between psychosocial stressors (e.g., discrimination, social isolation) and elevated CRP. Few studies conducted sex- or gender-based analyses. DBS was particularly effective for research in underrepresented populations, enabling cost-effective, minimally invasive sampling in diverse and resource-limited settings.

conclusionThis review highlights DBS as an important tool for psychiatric biomarker research, offering scalability and inclusivity. Findings affirm the link between psychosocial factors and systemic inflammation, suggesting avenues for targeted interventions. Future research should explore additional biomarkers and psychosocial determinants with sex stratified analyses to better understand inflammation-related health disparities.

Indexed as

C-Reactive ProteinDried Blood Spot TestingInflammationStress, PsychologicalBiomarkersHumansBiomarkersC-Reactive ProteinDried blood spotsInflammationPsychosocial factorsStress

Identifiers

PMID40514590
PMCPMC12572048

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Registered trials

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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.