The relationship of anger expression and alexithymia with coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery diseases.
This study examined the relationship between anger expression or alexithymia and coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery diseases. 143 patients with coronary artery diseases (104 males and 39 females) were enrolled in this study. The severity of their coronary artery stenosis was measured by angiography. The Anger Expression Scale and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale were used to assess the level of anger expression and alexithymia. The more stenotic group (occluded by 75% or more) exhibited a significantly higher level of alexithymia than the less stenotic group (occluded by less than 25%). Multiple regression analysis on the extent of stenosis also revealed that regardless of gender and age, the coronary artery disease patients with higher alexithymia were likely to show a greater level of stenosis. However, no significant differences were found on either the anger-in or anger-out subscale scores between the two groups. These results suggest that alexithymia is associated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease. However, both anger expression and anger suppression were not shown to be associated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis.
Koh
Kyung Bong
KB
Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shin chon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. kbkoh@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Cho
Seung Yun
SY
Kim
Jang Woo
JW
Rho
Kyu Sik
KS
Lee
Sang Hyuk
SH
Park
Il Ho
IH
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000368:Aged; D000786:Anger; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index