부산대학교 도서관

Background: Affective temperaments (anxious, depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and hyperthymic) are subclinical manifestations of major mood disorders and there is cumulating evidence about their involvement is somatic disorders as well. The aim of our study was to evaluate the associations of affective temperament scores with arterial stiffness parameters in hypertensive patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, chronic, well-controlled hypertensive patients, with no history of depression, completed the TEMPS-A, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) autoquestionnaires in three GP practices. Arterial stiffness was measured with the tonometric PulsePen device. Results: Altogether 183 patients were involved. In regression analysis irritable temperament score was a predictor of pulse wave velocity (adjusted for age, brachial systolic blood pressure, onset of hypertension, serum glucose, GFR-EPI, BDI and HAM-A, β=0.170, p=0.031), whereas hyperthymic temperament score was a predictor of augmentation index (adjusted for age, gender, smoking, heart rate, BDI and HAM-A, β=−0.211, p=0.004). Limitations: The cross-sectional design of the study precludes the evaluation of causality. Conclusion: Our results suggest that high irritable temperament score might be a marker of increased, whereas high hyperthymic score a decreased cardiovascular risk among chronic hypertensive patients, however, follow-up studies are required to confirm this hypothesis. The evaluation of affective temperaments seems to be a potential tool to study psychosomatic processes.