Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for myocardial infarction. It has been hypothesized that mental stress-induced cardiovascular reactions may play a role in the triggering of myocardial infarction. Cardiovascular activity was measured during rest, stress, and recovery in rheumatoid arthritis patients with high systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein>8mg/l), rheumatoid arthritis patients with low systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein≤8mg/l), and osteoarthritis patients. Systemic vascular resistance increased only in rheumatoid arthritis patients with high systemic inflammation. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure increased during the stress task in all groups. Thus, acute cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis patients may be related to stress-induced increases in systemic vascular resistance, particularly in patients with high levels of systemic inflammation.
Published: 2008-01-01
Increase in systemic vascular resistance during acute mental stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with high-grade systemic inflammation
Jet J. C. S. Veldhuijzen van Zanten, George D. Kitas, Douglas Carroll, Christopher Ring
Acute stress, Inflammation, Rheumatoid arthritis, Systemic vascular resistance
- Item Type: journalArticle
- Publication Title: Biological Psychology
- Volume: 77
- Pages: 106-110
- Series:
- Series Title:
- Series Text:
- Journal Abbreviation: Biological Psychology
- DOI: /10.1016/j.biopsycho.2007.09.002
- ISSN: 0301-0511
- Short Title:
- Library Catalog: ScienceDirect
