Psychosocial Distress: Cardiovascular Outcomes, Underlying Mechanisms, and Sex Differences Open Access
Pimple, Pratik (Summer 2018)
Abstract
Background: While depression is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), results on post-traumatic stress disorders, anxiety, anger, hostility and perceived-stress are mixed. Even though these psychosocial phenotypes are correlated, previous studies have treated them as independent factors. Examining these factors together may provide new insights.
Objectives: This dissertation evaluated the association between an integrated indicator of chronic psychosocial distress and CVD outcomes, including future CVD events and mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia (MSIMI) with a specific focus on sex differences. To better understand vulnerability to MSIMI and the underlying pathophysiology, we also evaluated genetic determinants of MSIMI.
Methods: We used data from two observational studies at Emory University (N=950). For aim 1, we examined the association between the psychosocial distress indicator, created using latent-class analysis (LCA), and a composite CVD endpoint at 3 years of follow-up. For aim 2, we examined the association between the psychosocial distress indicator and MSIMI severity. For aim 3, we examined the association between a-priori selected 286 candidate-genes and MSIMI.
Results:
Aim 1: As compared to women in the lowest psychosocial distress class (LCA class-1), women in the highest class (LCA class-4) had 2.8-times the hazard of CVD events (95% CI: 1.2-6.6). No association was found in men.
Aim 2: As compared to women in the lowest psychosocial distress class, women in the highest class had 4.0-points higher summed rest score (95% CI: 0.2-7.7). This association was not observed in men. There was no association between psychosocial distress and MSIMI in either women or men.
Aim 3: Of 286 candidate-genes, the FGF5 (Fibroblast Growth Factor-5) gene on chromosome 4 was associated with MSIMI at the Bonferroni-adjusted significant threshold (P=4.7×10-5).
Conclusion: A higher level of psychosocial distress is associated with the risk of cardiovascular events and higher resting perfusion abnormalities in women, but not in men. We also uncovered a signaling pathway related to tissue growth and repair and with links to the brain as being possibly involved in MSIMI. Overall, our findings suggest a prominence of the psychosocial sphere in CVD risk pathways especially for women.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction, Study Background, Objectives & Hypotheses 1
Brief Overview: 1
Background: Association Between Psychosocial Distress Indicators & Cardiovascular Outcomes 4
Aim 1: Psychosocial Distress and Future Cardiovascular Events: Objective & Hypothesis 9
Background: Association Between Psychosocial Distress Indicators & Stress-Induced Ischemia 9
Aim 2: Psychosocial Distress & MSIMI: Objective & Hypothesis 11
Background: Genetic Determinants of Stress-Induced Ischemia 12
Aim 3: Genetic Determinants of Stress-Induced Ischemia: Objective & Hypothesis 14
Chapter 2: Methods 15
Brief Overview 15
Data Source and Population characteristics: 16
Exposure Assessment: Composite Psychosocial Distress Indicator (Aim 1, & 2) 18
Exposure Assessment: Genetic Determinants (Aim 3) 25
Outcome Assessment: Future Cardiovascular Events (Aim 1) 27
Outcome Assessment: Mental-Stress Induced Myocardial Ischemia (Aim 2 & 3) 28
Adjustment Factors 29
Data Analysis Plans 30
Chapter 3: Psychological Distress and Future Cardiovascular Events 36
Key Points: 37
Abstract 38
Introduction: 40
Methods: 41
Results: 45
Discussion: 47
Chapter 4: Psychosocial Distress and Stress Induced Myocardial Ischemia 65
Abstract 67
Introduction: 68
Methods: 69
Results: 74
Discussion: 76
Chapter 5: Genetic Determinants of Mental Stress Induced Myocardial Ischemia 94
Abstract 95
Introduction: 97
Methods: 98
Results: 101
Discussion: 104
Chapter 6: Implications 128
Key Findings: 128
Strengths & Limitations 129
Conclusion & Future Directions 131
References: 132
About this Dissertation
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Primary PDF
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Psychosocial Distress: Cardiovascular Outcomes, Underlying Mechanisms, and Sex Differences () | 2018-06-29 14:43:10 -0400 |
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Supplemental Files
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Supplementary tables (Supplementary table in excel) | 2018-06-29 14:43:07 -0400 |
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