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Association between Mental Health and Arterial Stiffness in Middle-aged and Older Adults

Artery Research volume 26, pages 223–227 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Mental stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the impact of mental stress on arterial function in middle-aged and older adults.

Objective

This study is aimed to investigate the association between mental stress and arterial function in this population.

Methods

A total of 156 healthy middle-aged and older adults (aged 50–79 years) participated in this study. Mental stress was evaluated by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and arterial stiffness was measured by the Carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV).

Results

cfPWV was significantly correlated with the GHQ score, even after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose. Multiple regression analysis further indicated that GHQ score was a significantly independent determinant of cfPWV (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

GHQ is positively associated with arterial stiffness, independent of the potential confounding factors in healthy middle-aged and older adults.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Nobuhiko Akazawa

    Present address: Department of Sports Research, Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, 3-15-1 Nishigaoka, Kitaku, Tokyo, Japan

  2. Koichiro Tanahashi

    Present address: Department of Health and Sports Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

  3. Keisei Kosaki

    Present address: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Taukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Nobuhiko Akazawa, Koichiro Tanahashi, Keisei Kosaki, Ai Hamasaki & Seiji Maeda

Authors
  1. Nobuhiko Akazawa
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  2. Koichiro Tanahashi
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  3. Keisei Kosaki
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  4. Ai Hamasaki
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  5. Seiji Maeda
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seiji Maeda.

Additional information

Peer review under responsibility of the Association for Research into Arterial Structure and Physiology

Data availability statement: The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials.

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This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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Akazawa, N., Tanahashi, K., Kosaki, K. et al. Association between Mental Health and Arterial Stiffness in Middle-aged and Older Adults. Artery Res 26, 223–227 (2020). https://doi.org/10.2991/artres.k.200720.001

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/artres.k.200720.001

Keywords

Artery Research

ISSN: 1876-4401

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