Plasma interleukin-6 is associated with psychological coronary risk factors: moderation by use of multivitamin supplements.

The current study examined the relation of plasma IL-6 to anger, hostility, and severity of depressive symptoms as a function of multivitamin supplement use in 96 healthy, nonsmoking men (aged 18-46). Plasma IL-6 was independently associated with anger, hostility, and severity of depressive symptoms, as well as with a composite factor score, but only among nonusers. Among users, these associations were not significant. Multivitamin use was associated with lower plasma IL-6 levels, but only among men with high composite factor scores. Statistical adjustments for age, body mass index, resting diastolic blood pressure, fasting total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alcohol use, exercise frequency, and educational level did not alter these results. These data suggest that plasma IL-6 is elevated among healthy men characterized by a propensity for anger, a hostile disposition, and greater severity of depressive symptoms and that multivitamin supplements could ameliorate plasma IL-6 levels among these men.