Hostility and platelet reactivity in individuals without a history of cardiovascular disease events.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between hostility and platelet reactivity in individuals without a prior history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. Hostility is associated with incident CVD events, independent of traditional risk factors. Increased platelet reactivity and thrombus formation over a disrupted coronary plaque are fundamental for CVD event onset.


METHODS
Hypertensive patients (n = 42) without concomitant CVD event history completed the 50-item Cook-Medley Hostility Scale, and a subset score of 27 items (Barefoot Ho) was derived. We examined the relationship between Barefoot Ho scores and platelet aggregation. We also examined individual components of Barefoot Ho (aggressive responding, cynicism, and hostile affect) and their associations with platelet aggregation. Platelet reactivity, induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), was assessed by standard light transmission aggregometry, the current gold standard method of platelet aggregation assessment.


RESULTS
Barefoot Ho scores were related significantly to increased rate of platelet aggregation in response to ADP. Of the three Barefoot Ho components, only aggressive responding was associated independently with increased platelet aggregation rate. The strength of these relationships did not diminish after adjusting for several standard CVD risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate that hostility, particularly the aggressive responding subtype, is associated with platelet reactivity-a key pathophysiological pathway in the onset of CVD events.
Shimbo
Daichi
D
Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Division of General Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, PH 9-949, New York, NY 10032, USA. ds2231@columbia.edu
Chaplin
William
W
Kuruvilla
Sujith
S
Wasson
Lauren Taggart
LT
Abraham
Dennis
D
Burg
Matthew M
MM
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010976:Platelet Count; D012307:Risk Factors
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate