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Type A behaviour and risk of coronary heart disease: the JPHC Study

Ai Ikeda1, Hiroyasu Iso, Ichiro Kawachi

  • 1Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University. Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan.

International Journal of Epidemiology
|July 3, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Type A behavior does not predict coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in Japanese adults. However, lower levels of Type A behavior were linked to increased CHD risk in Japanese men, suggesting gender-specific and cultural influences on cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Type A behavior is linked to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, but findings are mixed and understudied in Asian populations.
  • Limited research exists on Type A behavior and CHD risk among Asian cohorts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively examine the association between Type A behavior and CHD incidence in a large Japanese cohort.
  • To investigate potential gender-specific and culturally contingent effects of Type A behavior on cardiovascular risk.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 86,361 Japanese men and women aged 40-69 years was followed from 1990-94 to January 2004.
  • Incident coronary heart disease (CHD) cases (n=669) were identified and analyzed in relation to baseline Type A behavior scores.

Main Results:

  • No overall association was found between Type A behavior and CHD incidence in the Japanese cohort.
  • Japanese men with lower levels of Type A behavior exhibited a significantly increased risk of CHD (HR = 1.32).
  • Women showed a non-significant trend towards reduced CHD risk with lower Type A behavior levels (HR = 0.79).

Conclusions:

  • Type A behavior does not predict CHD incidence in the Japanese population.
  • Lower Type A behavior (Type B patterns) may be associated with increased CHD risk in Japanese males.
  • The cardiovascular impact of Type A behavior appears to be gender-specific and culturally dependent.
Abstract

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