High cynical distrust and high anger-control were associated with an approximately two-fold accelerated 2-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men.
Cohort (n=119)
Does hostility and anger suppression accelerate the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men?
High cynical distrust and anger-control are associated with accelerated progression of carotid atherosclerosis, independent of traditional biological risk factors.
Effect estimate: two-fold acceleration
We studied prospectively the association of hostility and anger suppression by the use of ultrasonographically assessed 2-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis (PCA) in a sample of 119 middle-aged men from eastern Finland. Based on measures of cynical distrust, impatience-irritability, anger-in, and anger-control, four variants of hostility-by-anger suppression model were tested with multiple regression analysis. In addition to the previously established risk factors (i.e., serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, smoking, and old age), cynical distrust and anger-control significantly predicted PCA. There was about a two-fold accelerated PCA in the group with high cynical distrust and high anger-control even after we controlled for the established biological risk factors and possible confounding background variables. The impact of the independent variables on PCA seemed to be additive rather than synergistic. These results, based on a relatively small, but nonselected population sample, extend previous results of angiographic studies.
Julkunen et al. (1994) conducted a cohort in Carotid atherosclerosis (n=119). Hostility and anger suppression (cynical distrust and anger-control) vs. Low cynical distrust and anger-control was evaluated on 2-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis (PCA) (two-fold acceleration). High cynical distrust and high anger-control were associated with an approximately two-fold accelerated 2-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men.