TABLE 5.
Relative concentrations of plasma inflammatory markers across quintiles of the EDII in the Nurses’ Health Study II (n = 1002; 1995–1999)1
| Quintile 1(−1.26 to <−0.28; most anti-inflammatory diets) | Quintile 2(−0.28 to <−0.12) | Quintile 3(−0.12 to <0.03) | Quintile 4(0.03 to <0.22) | Quintile 5(0.22–1.18; most proinflammatory diets) | P-trend2 | |
| IL-6 | ||||||
| Age-adjusted | 1 | 0.97 (0.84, 1.11) | 1.07 (0.93, 1.23) | 1.09 (0.95, 1.25) | 1.24 (1.08, 1.42) | <0.0001 |
| Multivariable-adjusted3 | 1 | 0.96 (0.84, 1.09) | 1.07 (0.93, 1.22) | 1.02 (0.89, 1.18) | 1.17 (1.02, 1.34) | 0.001 |
| CRP | ||||||
| Age-adjusted | 1 | 1.22 (0.94, 1.60) | 1.21 (0.93, 1.60) | 1.36 (1.04, 1.77) | 1.74 (1.33, 2.27) | <0.0001 |
| Multivariable-adjusted3 | 1 | 1.24 (0.97, 1.60) | 1.20 (0.93, 1.54) | 1.24 (0.96, 1.60) | 1.52 (1.18, 1.97) | 0.002 |
| TNFαR2 | ||||||
| Age-adjusted | 1 | 1.02 (0.97, 1.06) | 1.04 (0.99, 1.08) | 1.06 (1.01, 1.10) | 1.10 (1.05, 1.15) | <0.0001 |
| Multivariable-adjusted3 | 1 | 1.02 (0.98, 1.07) | 1.04 (0.99, 1.09) | 1.06 (1.01, 1.10) | 1.09 (1.04, 1.14) | 0.0003 |
| Adiponectin | ||||||
| Age-adjusted | 1 | 1.01 (0.92, 1.11) | 1.01 (0.92, 1.11) | 0.93 (0.84, 1.02) | 0.83 (0.75, 0.91) | <0.0001 |
| Multivariable-adjusted3 | 1 | 1.01 (0.92, 1.11) | 1.03 (0.94, 1.13) | 0.97 (0.87, 1.07) | 0.88 (0.80, 0.96) | 0.003 |
| Overall inflammatory marker score4 | ||||||
| Age-adjusted | 1 | 1.19 (0.71, 1.99) | 1.45 (0.87, 2.43) | 2.09 (1.25, 3.50) | 4.49 (2.67, 7.54) | <0.0001 |
| Multivariable-adjusted3 | 1 | 1.18 (0.72, 1.92) | 1.39 (0.85, 2.28) | 1.62 (0.99, 2.67) | 3.18 (1.93, 5.26) | <0.0001 |
Values are relative concentrations (95% CIs) of biomarkers in higher EDII quintiles relative to quintile 1 as the reference quintile (e.g., ratio of concentration in quintile 5 to concentration in quintile 1). All values were back-transformed (ex) because biomarker data were ln-transformed before analysis. Quintile 1: n = 200, quintile 2: n = 201, quintile 3: n = 200, quintile 4: n = 201, and quintile 5: n = 200. CRP, C-reactive protein; EDII, empirical dietary inflammatory index; TNFαR2, TNF-α receptor 2.
The P value of the dietary index as a continuous variable adjusted for all covariates listed in footnote 3.
Adjusted for age, physical activity, smoking status, case-control status, batch effects for biomarker measurements, regular aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, and an inflammation-related chronic disease comorbidity score. Chronic diseases or conditions included in the score were hypercholesterolemia, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and rheumatoid or other arthritis, with additional adjustment for menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use in women.
Computed by summing the z scores of all 4 biomarkers for each participant.