title: Type D personality is associated with increased prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias in community-residing persons without coronary heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Type D personality may be a risk factor for poor outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease. The biological mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. The objective of the study was to test the hypotheses that Type D personality is associated with biological markers for sympathetic dysregulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional community-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Type D personality was evaluated by DS-14 in 450 persons (46% men), aged between 30 and 65 years. From a Holter-recording, (mean length 18.3 hours), long-term heart rate, ventricular arrhythmias, and heart rate variability (HRV) were registered as markers of sympathetic dysregulation. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors, apnoea-hypopnoea index, medication, and anxiety symptoms were adjusted for.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Type D persons had higher long-term averaged heart rate (74 vs. 71 beats/min, p = 0.003), but this difference was attenuated and not significant in the multivariate model (p = 0.078)). There was an increased prevalence of complex ventricular ectopy (bigeminy, trigeminy, or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia; 14 vs. 6%, p = 0.005 in multivariate model). HRV indices did not differ significantly between those with or without Type D personality. Anxiety symptoms did not confound these associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Type D personality is independently associated with a higher likelihood of ventricular arrhythmias, which may be implicated in the increased cardiovascular risk observed in persons with Type D personality.
authors.affiliation: Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Einvik
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dammen
authors.forename: Silje K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Namtvedt
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hrubos-Strøm
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Randby
authors.forename: Håvard A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.forename: Inger H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Nordhus
authors.forename: Virend K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010552:Personality Assessment; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D064415:Type D Personality; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology