What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Other. Population: Healthy. Intervention: Mental arithmetic test (psychological stressor) vs. Resting values and retest values. Primary outcome: Autonomic response (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma adrenaline).

What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess sympathetic, parasympathetic, and pituitary-adrenal responses to an acute mental arithmetic stressor and determine their test-retest reliability across repeated sessions.

January 1, 1990Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation

Autonomic response to an experimental psychological stressor in healthy subjects: measurement of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and pituary-adrenal parameters: test-retest reliability

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Key result

A 15-minute mental arithmetic test significantly increased systolic blood pressure (11%), diastolic blood pressure (12%), heart rate (28%), and plasma adrenaline (152%) in healthy subjects.

Why the study?

Does a mental arithmetic stress test produce a reliable and reproducible autonomic response in healthy subjects?

Population

Healthy subjects

Comparison

Mental arithmetic test (15 min stressor) vs Resting state and retest 4 to 14 months later

Design

Other

Follow-up

4 to 14 months

Authors

LJL. S. JørgensenGlostrup Hospital PCP ChristiansenFrederiksberg Hospital URU RaundahlAarhus University Hospital

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Acute stress responses warrant no clinical practice change; leaves open the relevance of delayed noradrenaline/cortisol rises to cardiovascular risk.

Key Points

To assess sympathetic, parasympathetic, and pituitary-adrenal responses to an acute mental arithmetic stressor and determine their test-retest reliability across repeated sessions.
Healthy subjects completed a 15-minute mental arithmetic stress test, with physiological and endocrine markers evaluated before, during, and after the stressor.
Tracked systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability via mean successive square difference (MSSD), adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, and ACTH.
Repeated the identical experimental stress protocol 4 to 14 months later to evaluate baseline and stress-response reproducibility.
Acute stress significantly elevated systolic blood pressure (11%), diastolic blood pressure (12%), heart rate (28%), and plasma adrenaline (152%), returning rapidly to resting levels post-stress.
Plasma noradrenaline and serum cortisol peaked following the stressor, showing delayed but significant total increases averaging 19% and 23%, respectively, while ACTH changes were not significant.
Resting values remained stable 4 to 14 months later, but stress-induced increments in systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and stress-period MSSD were significantly lower at retest.

Structured PICO

Does a mental arithmetic stress test produce a reliable and reproducible autonomic response in healthy subjects?

Population

Healthy subjects evaluated for autonomic responses to a 15-minute mental arithmetic stress test, with a retest 4 to 14 months later.

Intervention

Mental arithmetic test (15 min stressor)

Comparator

Resting state and retest 4 to 14 months later

Outcome

Autonomic response including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, ACTH, and beat-to-beat variation of heart rate (MSSD)surrogate

The mental arithmetic stress test produces a viable autonomic response for laboratory research, though habituation occurs upon retesting.

Limitations

Plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) was only measured before and at the end of the stressor.
Lower autonomic response at retest should be taken into consideration if repeated examinations are desired.
Lower response at retest (habituation) should be taken into consideration for repeated examinations

Cite This Study

Jørgensen et al. (1990) studied Healthy. Mental arithmetic test (psychological stressor) vs. Resting values and retest values was evaluated on Autonomic response (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma adrenaline). A 15-minute mental arithmetic test significantly increased systolic blood pressure (11%), diastolic blood pressure (12%), heart rate (28%), and plasma adrenaline (152%) in healthy subjects.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6d08bc75498292b707b88a https://doi.org/10.3109/00365519009104948

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Implication

Acute stress responses warrant no clinical practice change; leaves open the relevance of delayed noradrenaline/cortisol rises to cardiovascular risk.

Autonomic response to an experimental psychological stressor in healthy subjects: measurement of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and pituary-adrenal parameters: test-retest reliability

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Limitations

Cite This Study

Autonomic response to an experimental psychological stressor in healthy subjects: measurement of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and pituary-adrenal parameters: test-retest reliability

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Limitations

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider