title: Effects of aspirin and propranolol on the acute psychological stress response in factor VIII coagulant activity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental study.
abstract: Activity of clotting factor VIII has been shown to acutely increase with sympathetic nervous system stimulation. We investigated whether aspirin and propranolol affect the responsiveness of plasma clotting factor VIII activity levels to acute psychosocial stress. We randomized 54 healthy subjects double-blind to 5-day treatment with a single daily oral dosage of either 100 mg aspirin plus 80 mg propranolol combined, 100 mg of aspirin, 80 mg of propranolol, or placebo medication. Thereafter, subjects underwent a 13-min standardized psychosocial stressor. Plasma levels of clotting factor VIII activity were determined immediately before, immediately after, 45 min and 105 min after stress. Controlling for demographic, metabolic, and life style factors repeated measures analysis of covariance showed that the change in clotting factor VIII activity from prestress to 105 min poststress differed between medication groups (P = 0.023; partial eta = 0.132). The clotting factor VIII activity level decreased from prestress to immediately poststress in the aspirin/propranolol group relative to the placebo group (P = 0.048) and the aspirin group (P < 0.06). Between 45 min and 105 min poststress, clotting factor VIII levels increased in the aspirin/propranolol group relative to the placebo group (P = 0.007) and the aspirin group (P = 0.039). The stress response in clotting factor VIII activity levels was not significantly different between the aspirin/propranolol group and the propranolol group. Propranolol in combination with aspirin diminished the acute response in clotting factor VIII activity to psychosocial stress compared with placebo medication and aspirin alone. The effect of single aspirin on the acute clotting factor VIII stress response was indistinguishable from a placebo effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Swiss Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital Berne, Berne, Switzerland. roland.vonkaenel@insel.ch
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: von Känel
authors.forename: Brigitte M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kudielka
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Helfricht
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Metzenthin
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Preckel
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haeberli
authors.forename: Trinh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cung
authors.forename: Joachim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D005169:Factor VIII; D011433:Propranolol; D001241:Aspirin