Synergism between smoking and vital exhaustion in the risk of Ischemic stroke: evidence from the ARIC study

Self-Reported Fatigue Predicts Incident Stroke in a General Population: EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population-Based Study

Background and Purpose- Fatigue is a common symptom among stroke survivors and in general practice. However, the clinical significance of fatigue and its relationship to incident stroke is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reported fatigue and the incidence of stroke in a general population. Methods- This was a prospective, population-based study. The study population was 15 654 men and women aged 39 to 79 years recruited in 1993 to 1997 and followed till March 2016. Fatigue was assessed at 18 months after baseline using the vitality domain of the Short Form 36 questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to describe the prospective relationship between baseline fatigue and incident stroke adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, vitamin supplement use, education level, Townsend deprivation index, and occupational social class. Incident stroke was ascertained using death certificates and hospital record linkage data. Results- Through 249 248 person-years of follow-up, 1509 incident strokes occurred. Participants who reported the highest level of fatigue (quartile 4) were more likely to be women, to be multimorbid, and to perceive their health as fair or poor. We observed ≈50% relative risk increase in stroke risk (hazard ratio, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.29-1.71]) in those who reported the highest level of fatigue compared with those who reported the lowest level of fatigue (Q4 versus Q1). This relationship remained unaltered regardless of anemia status, the presence or absence of chronic bronchitis, thyroid dysfunction, or depression. Conclusions- Self-report fatigue assessed by the vitality domain of the Short Form 36 questionnaire predicts the risk of future stroke at the general population level. Identifying and addressing stroke risk factors in those who report fatigue in general practice may have substantial benefit at the population level.

Association of Antidepressant Medication Type With the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in the ARIC Study

Background

The association of antidepressant medication type with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear. We hypothesized that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are associated with lower risks of CVD events relative to tricyclics and other non‐SSRI antidepressants.

Methods and Results

We studied 2027 participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study (mean age 63±10 years; 29% men; 78% white) treated with antidepressants at some time between 1987 and 2013. Antidepressant usage was confirmed by participants bringing pill bottles to study visits. CVD events in the study sample were identified, including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. Hazard ratios were used to compare CVD events adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical risk factors in SSRIs users (47%) versus non‐SSRI users. Participants were followed from antidepressant initiation up to 2016 for a median of 13.5 years. We identified 332 atrial fibrillation, 365 heart failure, 174 myocardial infarction and 119 ischemic stroke events. CVD risk was similar for SSRIs and non‐SSRI antidepressant users (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.86–1.41 for atrial fibrillation; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.77–1.25 for heart failure; hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.64–1.29 for myocardial infarction; and hazard ratio, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.70–1.63 for ischemic stroke).

Conclusions

SSRI use was not associated with reduced risk of incident CVD compared with non‐SSRI antidepressant use. These results do not provide evidence supporting the use of SSRIs compared with tricyclics and other non‐SSRI antidepressants in relation to CVD risk.

Vital exhaustion and sudden cardiac death in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

OBJECTIVE

Vital exhaustion (VE), a construct defined as lack of energy, increased fatigue and irritability, and feelings of demoralisation, has been associated with cardiovascular events. We sought to examine the relation between VE and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

METHODS

The ARIC Study is a predominately biracial cohort of men and women, aged 45-64 at baseline, initiated in 1987 through random sampling in four US communities. VE was measured using the Maastricht questionnaire between 1990 and 1992 among 13 923 individuals. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the hazard of out-of-hospital SCD across tertiles of VE scores.

RESULTS

Through 2012, 457 SCD cases, defined as a sudden pulseless condition presumed due to a ventricular tachyarrhythmia in a previously stable individual, were identified in ARIC by physician record review. Adjusting for age, sex and race/centre, participants in the highest VE tertile had an increased risk of SCD (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.87), but these findings did not remain significant after adjustment for established cardiovascular disease risk factors (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Among participants of the ARIC study, VE was not associated with an increased risk for SCD after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors.

Poststroke Fatigue: Emerging Evidence and Approaches to Management: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association

At least half of all stroke survivors experience fatigue; thus, it is a common cause of concern for patients, caregivers, and clinicians after stroke. This scientific statement provides an international perspective on the emerging evidence surrounding the incidence, prevalence, quality of life, and complex pathogenesis of poststroke fatigue. Evidence for pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for management are reviewed, as well as the effects of poststroke fatigue on both stroke survivors and caregivers.

Meta-Analysis of Relation of Vital Exhaustion to Cardiovascular Disease Events

To assess the net impact of vital exhaustion on cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and PsychINFO (through April 2016) to identify all studies which investigated the relation between vital exhaustion (VE) and health outcomes. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) a cohort study (prospective cohort or historical cohort) consisting of adults (>18 years); (2) at least 1 self-reported or interview-based assessment of VE or exhaustion; (3) evaluated the association between vital exhaustion or exhaustion and relevant outcomes; and (4) reported adjusted risk estimates of vital exhaustion/exhaustion for outcomes. Maximally adjusted effect estimates with 95% CIs along with variables used for adjustment in multivariate analysis were also abstracted. Primary study outcome was cardiovascular events. Secondary outcomes were stroke and all-cause mortality. Seventeen studies (19 comparisons) with a total of 107,175 participants were included in the analysis. Mean follow-up was 6 years. VE was significantly associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events (relative risk 1.53, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.83, p <0.001) and all-cause mortality (relative risk 1.48, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.72, p <0.001). VE also showed a trend for increased incident stroke (relative risk 1.46, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.21, p = 0.07). Subgroup analyses yielded similar results. VE is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular events, comparable in potency to common psychosocial risk factors. Our results imply a need to more closely study VE, and potentially related states of exhaustion, such as occupational burnout.

From Vitality to Vital Exhaustion and Other States of "Tense Tiredness": A New Biopsychosocial Risk Domain

Fatigue is a common prodromal symptom for various medical conditions, including acute myocardial infarction. Fatigue is also the core component of vital exhaustion, which consists of a specific triad: excessive fatigue, increased irritability, and feelings of demoralization. In this issue of Psychosomatic Medicine, Frestad and Prescott present a meta-analysis of 16 studies, involving 53,337 participants, which found vital exhaustion to be associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and recurrent cardiac events among individuals with established CHD. After discussing methodological limitations of the studies included in this meta-analysis, we describe these findings in terms of a larger genre of risk that is biopsychosocial in origin and tied to two types of tiredness: "calm tiredness" and "tense tiredness." The former is regenerative, while the latter enhances disease risk. We propose that besides vital exhaustion, other symptoms of negative affect may combine with tiredness to produce increased clinical risk, such as the presence of depressed mood, an inability to relax or recover after work, and symptoms of burnout. We further propose that vital exhaustion can be considered as part of a larger paradigm, ranging from a positive state of vitality to a negative state of exhaustion of vitality. We conclude this editorial by emphasizing the importance of improving vitality and the need to clarify biobehavioral mechanisms that play a role in the association between vital exhaustion and adverse CHD outcomes. New interventions are needed that target reducing exhaustion and improving vitality for individuals at high risk of CHD.

Examining the relationship between fatigue and cognition after stroke: A systematic review

Many stroke survivors experience fatigue, which is associated with a variety of factors including cognitive impairment. A few studies have examined the relationship between fatigue and cognition and have obtained conflicting results. The aim of the current study was to review the literature on the relationship between fatigue and cognition post-stroke. The following databases were searched: EMBASE (1980-February, 2014), PsycInfo (1806-February, 2014), CINAHL (1937-February, 2014), MEDLINE (1946-February, 2014), Ethos (1600-February, 2014) and DART (1999-February, 2014). Reference lists of relevant papers were screened and the citation indices of the included papers were searched using Web of Science. Studies were considered if they were on adult stroke patients and assessed the following: fatigue with quantitative measurements (≥ 3 response categories), cognition using objective measurements, and the relationship between fatigue and cognition. Overall, 413 papers were identified, of which 11 were included. Four studies found significant correlations between fatigue and memory, attention, speed of information processing and reading speed (r = -.36 to .46) whereas seven studies did not. Most studies had limitations; quality scores ranged from 9 to 14 on the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklists. There was insufficient evidence to support or refute a relationship between fatigue and cognition post-stroke. More robust studies are needed.

Ginsenoside Rd and ischemic stroke; a short review of literatures

Panax ginseng is a well-known economic medical plant that is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine. This species contains a unique class of natural products-ginsenosides. Recent clinical and experimental studies have presented numerous lines of evidence on the promising role of ginsenosides on different diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer. Nowadays, most of the attention has focused on ginsenoside Rd as a neuroprotective agent to attenuate ischemic stroke damages. Some of the evidence showed that ginsenoside Rd ameliorates ischemic stroke-induced damages through the suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation. Ginsenoside Rd can prolong neural cells' survival through the upregulation of the endogenous antioxidant system, phosphoinositide-3-kinase/AKT and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 pathways, preservation of mitochondrial membrane potential, suppression of the nuclear factor-kappa B, transient receptor potential melastatin, acid sensing ion channels 1a, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, protein tyrosine kinase activation, as well as reduction of cytochrome c-releasing and apoptosis-inducing factor. In the current work, we review the available reports on the promising role of ginsenoside Rd on ischemic stroke. We also discuss its chemistry, source, and the molecular mechanism underlying this effect.

Facets of Negative Affectivity and Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged Men

Research results suggesting that facets of negative affectivity, i.e. anxiety, anger-hostility, and depression, relate to incident cardiovascular diseases have been steadily increasing. Evidence for depression has been especially extensive. Elevated blood pressure, a major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, is one probable mediator in this context. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship of specific key elements of depressive disposition, i.e. depressive symptoms, hopelessness and vital exhaustion, with health behavior and blood pressure. Study sample was comprised of 710 middle-aged men. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing health behavior, depressive symptoms, vital exhaustion and hopelessness. Statistical analyses involved descriptive analyses, correlations and path analysis. Depressive symptoms and vital exhaustion associated with several unfavorable lifestyles such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and inactivity (standardized solution coefficients: 0.10, 0.14, 0.17, accordingly). However, no significant direct associations with blood pressure could be found for depressive symptoms or vital exhaustion. Hopelessness associated only with unhealthy diet (standardized solution coefficient -0.10) Moreover, for hopelessness, results showed a direct but inverse association with systolic blood pressure (standardized solution coefficient -0.08). Results suggest that the previously reported relations of depression and vital exhaustion with blood pressure could be mediated by unfavorable lifestyles. The relation of hopelessness with adverse health behaviors seems to be less significant. Also, the role of hopelessness as a risk factor of elevated blood pressure is not supported by the results of this study.

Impact of smoking and quitting on cardiovascular outcomes and risk advancement periods among older adults

Smoking is an established risk factor for cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death. However, most pertinent studies primarily relied on middle aged adults. We aimed to provide empirical evidence on the association of smoking with cardiovascular events and the benefits of smoking cessation in people aged 50 years or older. In a German population-based cohort study detailed information on lifetime smoking history was obtained from 8,807 individuals aged 50-74 years, without previous myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. Cox proportional hazards regression was applied to estimate the impact of smoking on MI, stroke and cardiovascular death (CVD) as well as on the combined outcome of major cardiovascular events (MI, stroke or CVD). In addition, the impact of smoking and the benefits of smoking cessation were quantified by risk advancement periods (RAP). The cohort included 17.2 % current smokers, 31.7 % former smokers and 51.1 % never smokers. During a mean follow-up of 9.1 years, 261 participants experienced a first MI, 456 had a primary stroke and 274 died of cardiovascular reasons. Compared to never smokers, adjusted hazard ratios (95 % confidence intervals) of current smokers were 2.25 (1.62-3.12), 2.12 (1.65-2.73) and 2.45 (1.76-3.42) and RAPs were 19.3, 9.8 and 8.4 years for MI, stroke and CVD, respectively. Strong dose-response relationships were seen with both current and life-time amount of smoking. Most of the excess risk and risk advancement disappeared within 5 years after smoking cessation. Smoking is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular events even at older age. Smoking cessation is highly and rapidly beneficial also at advanced age.

Poststroke fatigue: an emerging, critical issue in stroke medicine

Poststroke fatigue is a common and disabling condition. However, few studies on or therapeutic trials addressing poststroke fatigue have appeared in the literature. We aimed to review the prevalence, natural course, potential predisposing factors (physiological, psychocognitive, and organic), and pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments of poststroke fatigue. Using PubMed CINAHL and PsycINFO, we reviewed all the available literature on poststroke fatigue and related issues. The prevalence of poststroke fatigue ranges from 23% to 75%, depending on the definition of fatigue and the characteristics of the patients included. Poststroke fatigue seems to be of complex etiology. Predisposing factors were physiological ones including functional disability, prestroke fatigue, medical comorbidities, medication, sleep disturbances, and nutritional problems; psychocognitive ones including depression and cognitive dysfunction; and organic ones including damage to particular brain areas with consequent neurochemical alterations, perfusion deficit, and neuroinflammation. Poststroke fatigue is a persistent and debilitating symptom in some patients, and can have adverse affects on patient's neurological recovery, quality of life, and mortality. Few therapeutic trials have been reported, and the therapy was rarely successful, possibly because of the complex nature of poststroke fatigue. Poststroke fatigue is a common and frequently disabling problem of complex etiology. Further studies are urgently needed to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of poststroke fatigue and to develop better treatments for this condition.

Serum levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in relation to depression scores in patients with cardiovascular risk factors

It is currently unknown whether elevated cytokine levels in depression are confined to any specific subgroup of depressive patients. In this study, medical out-patients presenting with cardiovascular risk factors (N = 356) were assessed for both cognitive-affective and physical symptoms of depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Maastricht questionnaire (MQ), respectively. In study participants assigned to the highest (≥21) and lowest (≤5) quartile for the MQ score, serum levels of cytokines were measured. We found highly significant associations between cognitive-affective symptoms of depression and elevated serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6; ρ = .231; p = .002) and interleukin-10 (IL-10; ρ = .370; p < .001), respectively. In multiple regression models elevated IL-10 serum concentration was independently related to cognitive-affective symptoms of depression (ρ = .165; p = .002). When all cytokines were included in one model, elevated IL-10 serum concentrations remained a significant predictor for depressive mood (ρ = .157; p = .009). In patients with cardiovascular risk factors and extreme scores for vital exhaustion, elevated serum IL-6 and even more IL-10 concentrations are linked to the presence of depressive mood. Future studies will have to test whether the so far unreported association of IL-10 with depressive mood represents a causal pathway involved in the pathogenesis or in the prognostic effect of depressive mood in cardiac patients.

Vital exhaustion, depressive symptoms and serum triglyceride levels in high-risk middle-aged men

The role of elevated serum triglyceride level as a risk factor of coronary artery disease is well established. Previous results have also indicated that depression or depressive symptoms and vital exhaustion correlate with triglyceride levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of depressive symptoms, vital exhaustion, and health behavior with serum triglyceride levels. The study sample comprised 444 high-risk middle-aged men. Participants completed self-report questionnaires before laboratory tests. Triglyceride concentrations were measured by the enzymatic method. Vital exhaustion and depression were associated with unhealthy lifestyles and triglycerides. Vital exhaustion and depression were closely correlated constructs with comparable relations with known coronary artery disease risk factors. When comparing vital exhaustion (VE) to Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), however, the first one had a stronger correlation with triglycerides (TG), and also, path analyses showed a direct link from vital exhaustion to body mass index but not from depression. Both vital exhaustion and depression are related to triglyceride levels. The relations are partly mediated by unfavorable lifestyles. Although vital exhaustion is not so commonly assessed as depression, results of this study support the importance of vital exhaustion as a health-related psychological risk factor.

Guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke: a guideline for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This guideline provides an overview of the evidence on established and emerging risk factors for stroke to provide evidence-based recommendations for the reduction of risk of a first stroke.

METHODS

Writing group members were nominated by the committee chair on the basis of their previous work in relevant topic areas and were approved by the American Heart Association (AHA) Stroke Council Scientific Statement Oversight Committee and the AHA Manuscript Oversight Committee. The writing group used systematic literature reviews (covering the time since the last review was published in 2006 up to April 2009), reference to previously published guidelines, personal files, and expert opinion to summarize existing evidence, indicate gaps in current knowledge, and when appropriate, formulate recommendations using standard AHA criteria (Tables 1 and 2). All members of the writing group had the opportunity to comment on the recommendations and approved the final version of this document. The guideline underwent extensive peer review by the Stroke Council leadership and the AHA scientific statements oversight committees before consideration and approval by the AHA Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee.

RESULTS

Schemes for assessing a person's risk of a first stroke were evaluated. Risk factors or risk markers for a first stroke were classified according to potential for modification (nonmodifiable, modifiable, or potentially modifiable) and strength of evidence (well documented or less well documented). Nonmodifiable risk factors include age, sex, low birth weight, race/ethnicity, and genetic predisposition. Well-documented and modifiable risk factors include hypertension, exposure to cigarette smoke, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and certain other cardiac conditions, dyslipidemia, carotid artery stenosis, sickle cell disease, postmenopausal hormone therapy, poor diet, physical inactivity, and obesity and body fat distribution. Less well-documented or potentially modifiable risk factors include the metabolic syndrome, excessive alcohol consumption, drug abuse, use of oral contraceptives, sleep-disordered breathing, migraine, hyperhomocysteinemia, elevated lipoprotein(a), hypercoagulability, inflammation, and infection. Data on the use of aspirin for primary stroke prevention are reviewed.

CONCLUSIONS

Extensive evidence identifies a variety of specific factors that increase the risk of a first stroke and that provide strategies for reducing that risk.

Vital exhaustion increases the risk of ischemic stroke in women but not in men: results from the Copenhagen City Heart Study

BACKGROUND

Several studies have indicated an association between depression and the development of stroke, but few studies have focused on gender differences, although both depression and stroke are more common in women than in men. The aim of the present study was to describe whether vital exhaustion, a measure of fatigue and depression, prospectively predicts ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in a large cohort, with particular focus on gender differences.

METHODS

The cohort was composed of 5219 women and 3967 men without cardiovascular disease who were examined in the Copenhagen City Heart Study in 1991-1994. Subjects were followed for 6-9 years. Fatal and nonfatal strokes were ascertained from the Danish National Register of Patients. Cox proportional hazards model was used to describe vital exhaustion as a potential risk factor for stroke.

RESULTS

Four hundred nine validated strokes occurred. A dose-response relationship between vital exhaustion score and the risk of stroke was found in women reaching a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.27 (95% confidence interval: 1.42-3.62) for the group with the highest score. HR was only slightly attenuated by multivariate adjustment. There was no association between vital exhaustion score and stroke in men. HR was strongest for ischemic stroke, whereas no association was seen for hemorrhagic stroke.

CONCLUSION

Vital exhaustion, a measure of fatigue, conveyed an increased risk of ischemic stroke in women, but not in men, in this study sample.

Poststroke fatigue--a review

Although fatigue is a common complaint after stroke, relatively little is known about how poststroke fatigue is experienced and what its related factors are. An in-depth understanding is necessary to develop effective and patient-centered poststroke rehabilitation programs. This review was undertaken to provide a comprehensive synthesis of knowledge from the literature concerning the description, definition, and measurement of fatigue and its relationship to sociodemographic and clinical factors. A search in PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsychInfo was performed using "stroke" or "cerebrovascular accident" as medical subject headings in combination with "fatigue" as a key word. Descriptions of fatigue revealed multiple dimensions of the phenomenon. Although no specific theoretical definition of fatigue as a poststroke condition was found, a case definition has recently been published to be used as a tool to determine the presence of fatigue in poststroke patients. Poststroke fatigue is most frequently measured by using the general fatigue scales such as the Fatigue Severity Scale and a Fatigue Visual Analogue Scale, as there is no scale developed to measure poststroke fatigue specifically. Age, sex, living conditions, and personality were associated with poststroke fatigue, albeit with some conflicting findings. Conflicting results also were found in the relationships between fatigue and stroke-related characteristics such as stroke location/type, the number of strokes, and neurological deficits. There is an indication that prestroke and poststroke fatigue are related. Possible antecedent components identified are personal factors, biomarkers, stroke characteristics, prestroke fatigue, and comorbidity. As knowledge regarding poststroke fatigue remains limited, there is a need to continue empirical research with various theoretical orientations.

Peak thrombin generation and subsequent venous thromboembolism: the Longitudinal Investigation of Thromboembolism Etiology (LITE) study

BACKGROUND

Thrombin is an enzyme that is essential for the acceleration of the coagulation cascade and the conversion of fibrinogen to clottable fibrin.

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the relationship of basal peak thrombin generation with the risk of future venous thromboembolism (VTE), and determined whether associations were independent of other coagulation markers.

METHODS

The Longitudinal Investigation of Thromboembolism Etiology (LITE) study investigated VTE in two prospective population-based cohorts: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). Peak thrombin generation was measured on stored plasma in a nested case-control sample (434 cases and 1004 controls). Logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship of peak thrombin generation with VTE, adjusted for age, sex, race, center, and body mass index. Mediation was evaluated by additionally adjusting for factor VIII and D-dimer.

RESULTS

Relative to the first quartile of peak thrombin generation, the odds ratio (OR) of VTE for those above the median was 1.74 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28-2.37]. The association was modestly attenuated by adjustment for FVIII and D-dimer (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.05-2.05). Associations appeared to be stronger for idiopathic than for secondary VTE. Elevated peak thrombin generation more than added to the VTE risk associated with FV Leiden or low activated partial thromboplastin time.

CONCLUSIONS

In this prospective study of two independent cohorts, elevated basal peak thrombin generation was associated with subsequent risk of VTE, independently of established VTE risk factors.

Vital exhaustion and retinal microvascular changes in cardiovascular disease: atherosclerosis risk in communities study

OBJECTIVE

To determine if vital exhaustion, a measure of negative emotion, is associated with microvascular changes in the retina. Negative psychological factors, such as depression, have been implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease. Whether this link is mediated by macrovascular or microvascular disease is unknown.

METHODS

We performed a population-based, cross-sectional study of 10,364 White and African Americans aged 48 to 73 years. Vital exhaustion scores were determined from the Maastricht questionnaire and categorized into quartiles. Retinopathy signs and retinal vascular caliber were graded from retinal photographs following standardized protocols.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age, gender, race, study center, education, smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, and other risk factors, higher vital exhaustion scores (highest versus lowest quartiles) were associated modestly with the presence of retinopathy (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.01-1.59), particularly retinal hemorrhages (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.20-2.44), and with generalized retinal venular widening (OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.03-1.38). Analyzing vital exhaustion as a continuous variable did not change the pattern of the associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Middle-aged people with vital exhaustion may be more likely to have retinopathy signs that have been identified as risk predictors of cardiovascular events. Further research is needed to explore the possible adverse effects of negative emotion on the microcirculation.

Obesity and vital exhaustion: analysis of the Atherosclerosis Risk in the Communities study

This study aimed to determine whether vital exhaustion (VE) was associated with BMI cross-sectionally and after 3 and 6 years of follow-up. Extant data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study were used to examine the relationship between VE and BMI among 13,727 white and African-American adults cross-sectionally (baseline) and longitudinally (3 and 6 years later). We used adjusted and nonadjusted general linear regression models. Associations with excess weight gain (>or=5.0%) were also examined using logistic regression. Results showed that BMI was significantly higher among both white and African-American men and women in the highest VE quartile compared to those with no VE. Similarly, high VE at baseline was associated with higher BMI 3 and 6 years later, although VE was not able to predict future BMI after adjusting for baseline BMI. Baseline VE predicted future excess weight gain in white men and women, but not in African Americans. These results suggest that reducing VE levels may play an important role in reducing the prevalence of obesity. High VE was associated with higher current BMI (all races) and excess weight gain (whites only). Although high VE predicted future weight gain without baseline BMI adjustment, the magnitude of change in BMI over time was similar among those with low and high VE; suggesting that any relationship between VE and BMI was already established at baseline. Assessment of VE and BMI over time would help to elucidate uncertainties between the temporal nature of the relationship between them.

ABO blood group, other risk factors and incidence of venous thromboembolism: the Longitudinal Investigation of Thromboembolism Etiology (LITE)

BACKGROUND

Numerous case-control studies have reported higher prevalence of non-O blood type among venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients than controls, but potential mechanisms or effect modifiers for the association are not fully established.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Using a nested case-control design combining the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and the Cardiovascular Health Study cohort, ABO blood type and other VTE risk factors were measured on pre-event blood samples of 492 participants who subsequently developed VTE and 1008 participants who remained free of VTE.

RESULTS

A total of 64.4% of cases and 52.5% of controls had non-O blood type. Among controls, mean values of factor VIIIc (FVIIIc) and von Willebrand factor among the non-O blood type group were higher than among the O group. Compared with O blood type, the age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of VTE for non-O blood type was 1.64 (95% CI, 1.32-2.05) and was similar for the two parent studies and race groups. Further adjustment for sex, race, body mass index, diabetes mellitus and FVIIIc reduced the OR: 1.31 (95% CI, 1.02-1.68). Factor V Leiden (FV Leiden) appeared to modify the non-O blood type association with VTE in a supra-additive fashion, with an age-, sex- and race-adjusted OR of 6.77 (95% CI, 3.65-12.6) for having both risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-O blood type was independently associated with risk of VTE, and added to the risk associated with FV Leiden.

Association of carotid artery intima-media thickness, plaques, and C-reactive protein with future cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: the Cardiovascular Health Study

BACKGROUND

Carotid atherosclerosis, measured as carotid intima-media thickness or as characteristics of plaques, has been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. We investigated the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and CRP and their joint roles in CVD prediction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Of 5888 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study, an observational study of adults aged > or = 65 years, 5020 without baseline CVD were included in the analysis. They were followed up for as long as 12 years for CVD incidence and all-cause mortality after baseline ultrasound and CRP measurement. When CRP was elevated (> 3 mg/L) among those with detectable atherosclerosis on ultrasound, there was a 72% (95% CI, 1.46 to 2.01) increased risk for CVD death and a 52% (95% CI, 1.37 to 1.68) increased risk for all-cause mortality. Elevated CRP in the absence of atherosclerosis did not increase CVD or all-cause mortality risk. The proportion of excess risk attributable to the interaction of high CRP and atherosclerosis was 54% for CVD death and 79% for all-cause mortality. Addition of CRP or carotid atherosclerosis to conventional risk factors modestly increased in the ability to predict CVD, as measured by the c statistic.

CONCLUSIONS

In older adults, elevated CRP was associated with increased risk for CVD and all-cause mortality only in those with detectable atherosclerosis based on carotid ultrasound. Despite the significant associations of CRP and carotid atherosclerosis with CVD, these measures modestly improve the prediction of CVD outcomes after one accounts for the conventional risk factors.

Effects of cigarettes and alcohol consumption in benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo

CONCLUSION

Smoking was associated with a lower incidence of benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV). A larger study is required to establish the role of smoking in BPPV.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of cigarette and alcohol consumption on BPPV.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred and fifty-six patients with BPPV and 155 age- and sex-matched normal subjects were compared according to their cigarette and alcohol consumption. Patients with BPPV who had had a recurrence of the disease and those who had not were also compared as to their cigarette and alcohol consumption. The question of whether the length of time until recovery was influenced by cigarette or alcohol consumption was also investigated.

RESULTS

Control subjects smoked significantly more often than BPPV patients, and patients without recurrence more frequently than patients with recurrence. Alcohol consumption was also more common in control subjects than in BPPV patients, but there was no difference between patients with recurrence and without recurrence. There was a tendency for smoking patients to recover sooner than non-smoking patients. Alcohol consumption did not affect the length of time until recovery.

Burnout and risk of cardiovascular disease: evidence, possible causal paths, and promising research directions

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness, resulting from prolonged exposure to work-related stress. The authors review the accumulated evidence suggesting that burnout and the related concept of vital exhaustion are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular-related events. The authors present evidence supporting several potential mechanisms linking burnout with ill health, including the metabolic syndrome, dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis along with sympathetic nervous system activation, sleep disturbances, systemic inflammation, impaired immunity functions, blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, and poor health behaviors. The association of burnout and vital exhaustion with these disease mediators suggests that their impact on health may be more extensive than currently indicated.