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Attenuated cortisol response to a standardized stress test in Lithuanian versus Swedish men: the LiVicordia study
M Kristenson1, K Orth-Gomér, Z Kucinskienë
1Department of Environment and Health, Facutly of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Margareta.Kristenson@fhvc.lio.se
Insights
Lithuanian men exhibit lower cortisol stress responses compared to Swedish men, potentially explaining higher cardiovascular mortality. This suggests chronic stress impacts heart health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is significantly higher in middle-aged Lithuanian men compared to Swedish men.
- Standard risk factors do not fully account for this disparity.
- Previous research indicated higher psychosocial stress levels in Lithuanian men.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in cortisol and cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress between 50-year-old men from Lithuania and Sweden.
- To explore the relationship between cortisol response patterns and other risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Population-based random samples of 50-year-old men from Vilnius, Lithuania, and Linköping, Sweden.
- Standardized laboratory stress test to measure cardiovascular reactivity.
- Analysis of serum cortisol levels at baseline and post-stress.
- Repeated measures analysis of variance and multivariate analysis.
Main Results:
- Cortisol responses to acute stress significantly differed between the two cities (p < .0001).
- Lithuanian men showed a lower mean increase in serum cortisol (18.1 nmol/l) compared to Swedish men (88.4 nmol/l) (p < .001).
- A blunted peak cortisol response was associated with higher baseline cortisol, current smoking, and vital exhaustion.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a physiological mechanism related to chronic psychosocial stress may underlie the elevated cardiovascular mortality in Lithuanian men.
- Altered cortisol reactivity could be a contributing factor to increased cardiovascular risk.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular mortality rates of middle-aged men are 4 times higher in Lithuania than in Sweden The difference is not explained by standard risk factors, but our previous findings of pronounced psychosocial stress in Lithuanian men offer a possible explanation. We investigated cortisol and cardiovascular reactivity to a standardized laboratory stress test in population-based random samples of 50-year-old men from Vilnius, Lithuania and Linköping, Sweden. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that cortisol responses differed between cities (p's < .0001). Mean change of serum cortisol from baseline to 30 min was 18.1 and 88.4 nmol/1 for Vilnius and Linkoping men, respectively (p < .001). In a multivariate analysis, a low peak cortisol response was significantly related to high baseline cortisol, current smoking, and vital exhaustion. The findings suggest a physiological mechanism of chronic psychosocial stress, which may contribute to increased risk for cardiovascular death.
