What does this research mean for the field?

Higher psychological hardiness is significantly associated with the presence of coronary artery ectasia, suggesting an unexpected psychosomatic link. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.ESTABLISHES_NEW_DIRECTION.

What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to explore the relationship between coronary artery ectasia and psychological factors such as hardiness and past traumatic experiences.

March 12, 2026Open Access

Correlation Between Coronary Artery Ectasia and Past Stressful Life Events and Psychological Hardiness: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Key Result

Higher psychological hardiness, as indicated by PVS III-R scores, was significantly associated with the presence of coronary artery ectasia in patients.

Key Points

The study aims to explore the relationship between coronary artery ectasia and psychological factors such as hardiness and past traumatic experiences.
Retrospective, cross-sectional observational design
Involved 80 participants
Administered psychological assessments including BDI, BAI, PVS III-R, and SLESF
Utilized binary logistic regression for data analysis
Higher PVS III-R scores in CAE patients compared to the control group
Lower SLESF scores in CAE patients indicate fewer intense traumatic events
Statistically significant association of higher PVS III-R scores with CAE presence

Structured PICO

Are psychological hardiness and past stressful life events associated with the presence of coronary artery ectasia?

Population

80 participants, including patients with coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and a control group

Intervention

Assessment of psychological hardiness (PVS III-R) and past traumatic experiences (SLESF)

Comparator

Control group without coronary artery ectasia

Outcome

Association between psychological scores (PVS III-R, SLESF) and the presence of coronary artery ectasiapatient reported

High psychological hardiness and fewer past traumatic events are paradoxically associated with the presence of coronary artery ectasia, highlighting complex mind-body interactions.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as a localized or diffuse dilatation of the coronary arteries and is often associated with atherosclerosis, congenital factors, or inflammatory conditions. Given emerging evidence that psychological factors may influence cardiovascular health, this study investigated whether psychological hardiness and past traumatic experiences are associated with CAE. Materials and Methods: This study employed a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational design involving 80 participants. All participants were administered a socio-demographic data form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Personal Views Scale III-R (PVS III-R), and the Stressful Life Events Screening Form (SLESF). Results: The PVS III-R scale score for patients with CAE was significantly higher than that of the control group. The SLESF scores were markedly lower in the CAE group when compared to the control group, demonstrating that the control group experienced substantially more intense traumatic events when compared to CAE patients. Binary logistic regression was applied to determine variables associated with CAE, and the results were statistically significant. Notably, higher self-reported PVS III-R scores were independently associated with the presence of CAE. Conclusions: This study may provide a preliminary psychosomatic perspective on the pathophysiology of CAE, emphasizing the complexities of mind–body interactions. It suggests that high psychological hardiness may be associated with unexpected biological outcomes and warrants further investigation.