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Caregivers Show Distress-Related Dysregulated Immune Systems

by Ellen Diamond

Geriatric Times

September/October 2003

Vol. IV

Issue 5

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Many age-related conditions may be influenced by proinflammatory cytokines, which can be stimulated by stressful experiences. Caregiving is associated with chronic stress and a decline in health. A recently published report showed that caregivers had increased levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 compared to controls (PNAS 2003;100[15]:9090-9095).

Participants included 119 caregivers and 106 controls (mean age=70.58). Caregivers were spending an average 9.72 hours per day caregiving and had been in that role for a mean 4.91 years. Plasma samples from all participants were analyzed from six consecutive years. Caregivers of spouses who died during the study remained in the study so researchers could collect data on their functioning once caregiving ended.

The average increase in IL-6 for caregivers was about four times as large as the increase in IL-6 for controls. One of the most interesting findings was that mean annual change in IL-6 levels did not differ between former and current caregivers, even several years after the death of the spouse.

The researchers warned: "[Our data] suggest that if other chronic stressors similarly provoke persistent distress in older adults, then they may also accelerate age-related increases in IL-6"--EAD