How does childhood maltreatment influence cardiovascular disease? A sequential causal mediation analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood maltreatment has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the mechanisms of this relationship are not yet fully understood. We explored the relative contribution of anxiety/depression, smoking, body mass index (BMI) and inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP) to the association between childhood maltreatment and CVD in men and women aged 40-69 years in the UK.

Methods

We used data from 40 596 men and 59 511 women from UK Biobank. To estimate the indirect effects of childhood maltreatment (physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and emotional and physical neglect) on incident CVD via each of the mediators, we applied a sequential mediation approach.

Results

All forms of maltreatment were associated with increased CVD ri

SUBMITTER: Soares AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9082818 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature