Negative association between reported life events and cardiovascular disease risk factors in employed men: The CORDIS study

There is evidence of a link between stressful life events and risk of cardiovascular disease, but the pathway has not been fully explored. The present study of 1859 employed men tested the association between reported intensity of life events and blood pressure and serum lipid levels, risk behaviors, and psychological distress symptoms. The findings revealed a striking disparity in the outcomes. Life events were negatively associated with systolic (p=0.001) and diastolic (p=0.038) blood pressure, triglycerides (p=0.011), and uric acid (p=0.05), even after controlling for job strain and other possible confounders. In contrast, life events were positively associated with somatic complaints (p<0.0001), anxiety (p<0.0001), irritability (p<0.0001), and depression (p<0.0001). In addition there was a linear trend between intensity level of life events and low exercise (p=0.006), smoking (p=0.007), and alcohol intake (p=0.035). The possibility that the above disparity is a product of powerful biases, such as repressive coping and negative affectivity disposition, is discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.