Chronic stress and sleep deprivation over 4 weeks significantly decreased flow-mediated dilation (from 7.4% to 3.7%, p<0.05) and erythrocyte magnesium concentration in healthy male students.
Observational (n=30)
Does chronic stress and sleep deprivation reduce flow-mediated dilation and intracellular magnesium levels in healthy male college students?
Chronic stress and sleep deprivation attenuate endothelial function and reduce intracellular magnesium levels in healthy young men.
Absolute Event Rate: 3.7% vs 7.4%
p-value: p=<0.05
BACKGROUND: Chronic mental and physical stress has been suggested to be a trigger for cardiovascular events. In addition, a reduction in levels of intracellular magnesium has been reported to cause vasoconstriction while enhancing platelet-dependent thrombosis. HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether chronic stress affects endothelial function and intracellular magnesium levels in humans. METHODS: Flow-mediated dilation (endothelium-dependent vasodilation) and sublingual nitroglycerin-induced dilation (0.3 mg, endothelium-independent vasodilation) were measured in the brachial artery in 30 healthy male college students, aged 22 +/- 1 years, using high-resolution ultrasound both before and immediately after a 4-week final term examination period. Erythrocyte magnesium concentration was measured simultaneously. All students had chronic sleep deprivation for 4 weeks, during which sleep lasted < 80% of that on ordinary days; in addition, the students were under great stress to pass the examination. This condition was considered to be chronic stress. RESULTS: Chronic stress decreased flow-mediated dilation and erythrocyte magnesium concentration (from 7.4 +/- 3.0 to 3.7 +/- 2.3%, p < 0.05; from 5.7 +/- 0.4 to 5.5 +/- 0.4 mg/ml, p < 0.05, respectively). The change in flow-mediated dilation correlated significantly with that of the erythrocyte magnesium concentration (r = 0.43, p < 0.05), but not with nitroglycerin-induced dilation. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic stress was found to attenuate endothelial function, which may also be associated with a reduction in the intracellular magnesium level in humans.
Takase et al. (2004) conducted an observational in Healthy (n=30). Chronic stress and sleep deprivation vs. Baseline (before stress period) was evaluated on Flow-mediated dilation (p=<0.05). Chronic stress and sleep deprivation over 4 weeks significantly decreased flow-mediated dilation (from 7.4% to 3.7%, p<0.05) and erythrocyte magnesium concentration in healthy male students.