Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013 Oct;38(10):2209-17. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.04.010. Epub 2013 May 25.
Sex differences in levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are well established in adulthood, but little is known about when and why they emerge. Here, we tested longitudinal models of CRP levels from ages 9 to 21, when marked physical and behavioral changes could contribute to growing sex disparities in CRP.
Data from the community-based prospective-longitudinal Great Smoky Mountains Study (N=1420) were used. Participants were 9-13 years old at intake and were followed through age 21. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) was assayed from up to nine bloodspot collections per person. BMI, physical/sexual maturation, substance use, and control variables were assessed during yearly interviews to age 16, and at ages 19 and 21.
Multilevel models revealed that the development of CRP in females was best described by a quadratic trend: after slow increases in CRP until age 15, the rate of increase accelerated thereafter. Changes in CRP in males were best described by a smaller, linear increase. After sex-differentiated associations with BMI, physical/sexual maturation, and substance use variables had been accounted for, increases in CRP after age 15 no longer differed by sex.
Physical/sexual maturation and behavioral changes during adolescence could initiate life-long sex disparities in CRP.
在成年期，C 反应蛋白（CRP）水平的性别差异已得到充分证实，但对于它们何时以及为何出现，知之甚少。在这里，我们测试了 CRP 水平从 9 岁到 21 岁的纵向模型，在这个时期，身体和行为的显著变化可能导致 CRP 水平在性别上的差异日益扩大。
使用基于社区的前瞻性纵向大烟山研究（N=1420）的数据。参与者在入组时年龄为 9-13 岁，并随访至 21 岁。从每人最多九次的血斑采集物中测定高敏 C 反应蛋白（CRP）。在每年的访谈中评估 BMI、身体/性成熟、物质使用和控制变量，直至 16 岁，并在 19 岁和 21 岁时进行评估。
多层次模型显示，女性 CRP 的发展最好用二次趋势来描述：在 CRP 缓慢增加到 15 岁之前，此后增加速度加快。男性 CRP 的变化最好用较小的线性增加来描述。在考虑了与 BMI、身体/性成熟和物质使用变量的性别差异相关联之后，15 岁以后 CRP 的增加不再存在性别差异。
青春期的身体/性成熟和行为变化可能会导致 CRP 在一生中的性别差异。
