title: Dyslipidemia and high waist-hip ratio in women with self-reported social anxiety.
abstract: Previous research has indicated that phobic anxiety is associated with coronary heart disease. In this study, the possible association between social anxiety and various anthropometric, metabolic, and endocrine measurements known to be associated with cardiovascular disease were studied in a population-based cohort of 216 women 41-42 years old. Each participant was assessed by means of a DSM-IV based self-report questionnaire regarding social anxiety and related psychiatric diagnoses. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI), and serum levels of lipids and hormones were assessed. The prevalence of social anxiety was 14% (n=31). The social anxiety group displayed higher serum levels of triglycerides (1.3+/-0.9 vs. 1.0+/-0.5, P=0.003) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (3.3+/-0.8 vs. 3.0+/-0.7, P=0.03), but lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (1.4+/-0.3 vs. 1.6+/-0.4, P=0.04) and HDL/LDL ratio (0.46+/-0.15 vs. 0.57+/-0.22, P=0.008) than the other women. Serum levels of total testosterone (1.6+/-0.8 vs. 2.2+/-1.1, P=0.013) and free thyroxin (14+/-2 vs. 16+/-4, P=0.04) were lower in subjects confirming social anxiety. While WHR was significantly higher in the social anxiety group (0.83+/-0.06 vs. 0.80+/-0.07, P=0.016), BMI did not differ between the groups. Our data suggest that self-reported social anxiety is associated with two established risk factors for cardiovascular disease: dyslipidemia and increased WHR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, SE 431 80 Mölndal, Sweden. mikael.landen@neuro.gu.se
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landén
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baghaei
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosmond
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Björntorp
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012931:Social Environment; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone; D013974:Thyroxine