Trait anger was positively associated with common and internal carotid artery intima-media thickness (mean difference 0.014 and 0.054 per 1-SD increment, respectively), unlike anxiety or depression.
Cross-Sectional (n=6,561)
Yes
Are trait anger, anxiety, and depressive symptoms associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in a multi-ethnic adult cohort?
Trait anger, but not anxiety or depressive symptoms, is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness and plaque presence, suggesting a specific psychological risk factor for early subclinical atherosclerosis.
Effect estimate: Mean difference 0.014 (CCA) and 0.054 (ICA) (95% CI 0.003-0.025 (CCA), 0.017-0.090 (ICA))
p-value: p=.01 (CCA), .004 (ICA)
OBJECTIVE: Carotid arterial wall thickness, measured as intima-media thickness (IMT), is an early subclinical indicator of cardiovascular disease. Few studies have investigated the association of psychological factors with IMT across multiple ethnic groups and by sex. METHODS: We included 6561 men and women (2541 whites, 1790 African Americans, 1436 Hispanics, and 794 Chinese) aged 45 to 84 years who took part in the first examination of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Associations of trait anger, trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms with mean values of common carotid artery (CCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) IMTs were investigated using multivariable regression and logistic models. RESULTS: In age-, sex-, and race/ethnicity-adjusted analyses, the trait anger score was positively associated with CCA and ICA IMTs (mean differences per 1-standard deviation increment of trait anger score were 0. 014 95% confidence interval CI = 0. 003-0. 025, p =. 01 and 0. 054 95% CI = 0. 017-0. 090, p =. 004 for CCA and ICA IMTs, respectively). Anger was also associated with the presence of carotid plaque (age-, sex-, and race/ethnicity-adjusted odds ratio per 1-standard deviation increase in trait anger = 1. 27 95% CI = 1. 06-1. 52). The associations of the anger score with thicker IMT were attenuated after adjustment for covariates but remained statistically significant. Associations were stronger in men than in women and in whites than in other race/ethnic groups, but heterogeneity was only marginally statistically significant by race/ethnicity. There was no association of depressive symptoms or trait anxiety with IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Only one of the three measures examined was associated with IMT, and the patterns seemed to be heterogeneous across race/ethnic groups.
Ohira et al. (Thu,) conducted a cross-sectional in Subclinical cardiovascular disease (n=6,561). Trait anger, trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms was evaluated on Mean values of common carotid artery (CCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) intima-media thickness (Mean difference 0.014 (CCA) and 0.054 (ICA), 95% CI 0.003-0.025 (CCA), 0.017-0.090 (ICA), p=.01 (CCA), .004 (ICA)). Trait anger was positively associated with common and internal carotid artery intima-media thickness (mean difference 0.014 and 0.054 per 1-SD increment, respectively), unlike anxiety or depression.