Stress reduces diastolic function in youth.
Gaston K Kapuku1, Harry Davis, Kenneth Murdison
1Georgia Prevention Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA 30912-4534. gkapuku@georgiahealth.edu
Psychosomatic Medicine
|July 4, 2012
Summary
Mental stress can impair heart diastolic function (DF) in adolescents, with potentially greater adverse effects observed in females and Black males. This highlights the importance of managing stress for cardiovascular health in young populations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Adolescent Health
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Mental stress (MS) is increasingly recognized for its impact on cardiovascular health.
- Previous research on MS and heart function has primarily focused on contractility, with less attention paid to diastolic function (DF).
- Adolescence is a critical period for cardiovascular development, making it important to understand stress-related changes in heart function during this stage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of mental stress on diastolic function in adolescents.
- To determine if mental stress leads to attenuated diastolic function in adolescents.
- To examine potential differences in the effects of mental stress on diastolic function based on race and sex.
Main Methods:
- 161 normotensive adolescents (81 Black, 80 female) participated in separate resting and mental stress (MS) experimental visits.
- Diastolic function was assessed using echocardiographic parameters including mitral inflow E/A ratio, mitral annular early velocity (E'), and E/E' ratio.
- Measurements were taken at 30-minute intervals during a 3-hour visit involving rest, a video game challenge, and recovery.
Main Results:
- Blood pressure and heart rate increased significantly during the MS condition (p < .01).
- The E/A ratio decreased during the stress phase in the experimental visit (p interaction < .001), indicating impaired diastolic filling.
- E' velocity decreased in white females, Black males, and Black females during stress, while it increased in white males (p interaction < .04), suggesting sex and race-specific alterations in diastolic function.
Conclusions:
- Recurrent mental stress may contribute to the risk of developing poor diastolic function in adolescents.
- The adverse effects of mental stress on diastolic function appear to be more pronounced in females and Black males.
- These findings underscore the need for interventions to mitigate the cardiovascular impact of stress in adolescent populations.
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