Allostatic load and canine companionship: a comparative study using biomarkers in older adults.
Alejandro Morales-Jinez, Francisco J López-Rincón, Alicia Ugarte-Esquivel and 3 others
PMID 30462785WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with companion dogs had lower cortisol and cholesterol levels and a higher rate of low allostatic load than those without dogs.
Systolic blood pressure and other stress biomarkers showed no significant difference between the groups.
Key findings
01Older adults with canine companionship had significantly lower mean serum cortisol and total cholesterol levels compared to those without companions.
02The group with canine companionship had a significantly lower mean allostatic load index score than the group without companions.
03A higher proportion of older adults with companion dogs were classified as having low allostatic load compared to those without dogs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design cannot prove that having a dog caused the lower stress biomarkers; older adults with lower allostatic load may be more likely to acquire or keep pets. The study used convenience sampling from a specific region in Mexico, which limits generalizability to other populations or settings. The authors did not measure attachment to the pet or other confounding variables like physical activity levels or social support networks, which could explain the differences. There was no significant difference in blood pressure or other major cardiovascular markers, suggesting the effect is limited to specific hormonal and metabolic pathways.
Declared interests
The study was supported by a government grant (PRODEP, Mexico). No financial conflicts of interest with commercial entities were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not recommend dog ownership as a clinical intervention to reduce blood pressure or cardiovascular risk. The study found no significant difference in blood pressure or other key cardiovascular markers between older adults with and without dogs, and the design cannot prove causation.