Social support, social integration, and inflammatory cytokines: A meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of primarily observational studies
PubMed 29565600 · doi:10.1037/hea0000594
What was done
Authors conducted a meta-analysis of 41 studies (73,037 total participants) retrieved from PsycINFO, Medline, EMBASE, and ancestry searches to examine the link between social support or social integration and inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, CRP). Proposed moderators including relationship operationalization, population type, cytokine type, and study design were evaluated.
What was found
The omnibus meta-analysis showed that social support and social integration were significantly associated with lower inflammation (Zr = -.073). This relationship was not moderated by relationship operationalization, population type, cytokine type, or study design.
Why it matters
The findings provide quantitative evidence that reduced systemic inflammation is a biological pathway connecting social integration and support to lower morbidity and mortality.
Limits
The effect size is very small (Zr = -.073). The abstract does not provide confidence intervals, p-values, or heterogeneity metrics, and the underlying observational designs preclude causal conclusions.
Cited by
- supports Social connection with others has an anti-inflammatory biological effect.