Short-term reproducibility of a mental arithmetic stress test

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Psychology
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Standardized mental arithmetic tests are used to induce stress.
• Evaluating the reproducibility of physiological and subjective stress responses is crucial for research accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the short-term reproducibility of heart rate, blood pressure, plasma catecholamines, and subjective stress responses.
• To determine the test-retest reliability of these measures during a mental arithmetic stress test.

Main Methods:

• 14 healthy, normotensive males underwent two identical mental arithmetic stress tests, 1 hour apart.
• Measurements included heart rate, blood pressure (oscillometric), antecubital venous plasma catecholamines, and subjective stress ratings.
• Reproducibility was assessed using correlation coefficients and measurement error (standard deviation).

Main Results:

• Heart rate, blood pressure, and subjective stress responses demonstrated high test-retest correlations (rs > 0.75) for both stress levels and reactivity.
• Plasma catecholamine levels were correlated, but stress-induced changes (reactivity) were not reproducible.
• Measurement error (SD) for heart rate, blood pressure, and subjective stress indicated acceptable reproducibility.

Conclusions:

• Hemodynamic (heart rate, blood pressure) and subjective stress responses to mental arithmetic are reproducible in healthy young males.
• Stress-induced changes in venous plasma catecholamine concentrations exhibit low reproducibility.
• The mental arithmetic stress test is a reliable tool for assessing cardiovascular and psychological stress responses, but not for catecholamine reactivity.