Higher levels of depressive symptoms (HR 1.86), chronic stress (HR 1.59), and hostility (HR 2.22) were associated with significantly increased risk of incident stroke or TIA.
Cohort (n=6,749)
Yes
Do higher levels of chronic stress, depressive symptoms, anger, and hostility increase the risk of incident stroke or transient ischemic attacks in middle-aged and older adults free of baseline cardiovascular disease?
Higher levels of stress, hostility, and depressive symptoms are independently associated with an increased risk of incident stroke or TIA in adults without prior cardiovascular disease.
Effect estimate: HR 1.86 (depressive symptoms), HR 1.59 (chronic stress), HR 2.22 (hostility) (95% CI 1.16-2.96, 1.11-2.27, 1.29-3.81)
p-value: p=≤0.02
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study investigated chronic stress, depressive symptoms, anger, and hostility in relation to incident stroke and transient ischemic attacks in middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Data were from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a population-based cohort study of 6749 adults, aged 45 to 84 years and free of clinical cardiovascular disease at baseline, conducted at 6 US sites. Chronic stress, depressive symptoms, trait anger, and hostility were assessed with standard questionnaires. The primary outcome was clinically adjudicated incident stroke or transient ischemic attacks during a median follow-up of 8.5 years. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-five incident events (147 strokes; 48 transient ischemic attacks) occurred during follow-up. A gradient of increasing risk was observed for depressive symptoms, chronic stress, and hostility (all P for trend ≤0.02) but not for trait anger (P>0.10). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals indicated significantly elevated risk for the highest-scoring relative to the lowest-scoring group for depressive symptoms (HR, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-2.96), chronic stress (HR, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-2.27), and hostility (HR, 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-3.81) adjusting for age, demographics, and site. HRs were attenuated but remained significant in risk factor-adjusted models. Associations were similar in models limited to stroke and in secondary analyses using time-varying variables. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of stress, hostility, and depressive symptoms are associated with significantly increased risk of incident stroke or transient ischemic attacks in middle-aged and older adults. Associations are not explained by known stroke risk factors.
Everson‐Rose et al. (Fri,) conducted a cohort in Incident stroke and transient ischemic attacks (n=6,749). Chronic stress, depressive symptoms, anger, and hostility vs. Lowest-scoring group was evaluated on clinically adjudicated incident stroke or transient ischemic attacks (HR 1.86 (depressive symptoms), HR 1.59 (chronic stress), HR 2.22 (hostility), 95% CI 1.16-2.96, 1.11-2.27, 1.29-3.81, p=≤0.02). Higher levels of depressive symptoms (HR 1.86), chronic stress (HR 1.59), and hostility (HR 2.22) were associated with significantly increased risk of incident stroke or TIA.