Job strain and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1: results from the Swedish WOLF study

Objectives. To investigate the association between job strain and elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out, comprising 1,954 actively working men and women between the ages of 19-64 years. Data were collected by questionnaire, clinical examination and blood samples. Results. Elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were more commonly noted in women exposed to job strain than in unexposed women (odds ratio 1.33; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.65). This association remained after we had adjusted for factors related to behaviour and general health, but became close to 1 after we had adjusted for factors related to the metabolic syndrome. For men, no association between job strain and elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 was observed (odds ratio 0.94; 95% confidence interval 0.71-1.26). Conclusions. Women exposed to job strain were more inclined to respond with increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 than men. In this first study on the association between job strain and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in both men and women, we observed such a relationship among women but not among men. The data support the notion that job strain might affect the risk of coronary heart disease by influencing an important cardiovascular system: the metabolic syndrome.