Metabolic and cardiovascular adjustments during psychological stress and carotid artery intima-media thickness in youth.
OBJECTIVE
Cardiovascular reactivity is associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness as early as childhood. Excess cardiovascular responses relative to the metabolic demand during psychological stress have been proposed as a mechanism for this association. However, it is not known whether excess cardiovascular responses in relation to the metabolic demand correlate with carotid artery intima-media thickness as strongly as traditionally measured cardiovascular reactivity.


METHODS
Fifty-four adolescents, ages 13-16 years completed a graded exercise test in 1 day and measures of psychological stress reactivity (star tracing, speech) on another day. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and oxygen consumption were measured on both days. On a third visit adolescents completed an ultrasound scan to measure carotid artery intima-media thickness.


RESULTS
Traditionally measured systolic blood pressure reactivity (β=0.30, p=0.02, R(2) increase=0.09) and excess systolic blood pressure (β=0.30, p=0.02, R(2) increase=0.08) while preparing a speech were associated with greater carotid artery intima-media thickness when controlling for demographic characteristics, fitness, and baseline systolic blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
This study adds to the growing body of literature showing a link between systolic blood pressure reactivity to acute psychological stress and carotid artery intima-media thickness in youth. This was the first study to demonstrate that systolic blood pressure in excess of the metabolic demand during psychological stress was also associated with carotid artery-intima media thickness.
Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. mjl106@pitt.edu
Maya J
MJ
Lambiase
Joan
J
Dorn
James N
JN
Roemmich
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000033:anatomy & histology*