Type D personality, but not Type A behavior pattern, is associated with coronary plaque vulnerability

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Psychocardiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Personality traits are known risk factors for major adverse coronary events (MACE) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
• The specific relationship between personality traits and the intravascular morphology of atherosclerotic plaques remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between Type A behavior pattern and Type D personality with plaque vulnerability in CAD patients.
• To explore the link between specific components of Type D personality (negative affectivity, social inhibition) and plaque characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to assess intravascular plaque morphology.
• Multivariable regression analysis was performed, adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.
• Type A behavior pattern and Type D personality were evaluated in relation to OCT-derived plaque vulnerability indices.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between Type A behavior pattern and OCT indices of plaque vulnerability.
• Type D personality was independently associated with lipid plaque, thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), and fibrous cap thickness.
• Negative affectivity correlated with lipid plaque and TCFA, while social inhibition was linked to plaque rupture.

Conclusions:

• Type D personality is an independent predictor of plaque vulnerability in CAD patients, beyond clinical factors.
• Assessing negative affectivity and social inhibition can enhance understanding of plaque progression.
• This may facilitate early identification of high-risk patients and potentially reduce MACE incidence.