Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether markers of oxidative stress differ as a function of Type D personality, depression, and chronic heart failure (CHF) etiology. Type D (distressed) personality and depression are related to poor cardiac prognosis. Because patients with CHF are characterized by increased oxidative stress, this may be a candidate mechanism responsible for the adverse prognosis in emotionally distressed patients with CHF. METHODS: Serum levels of xanthine oxidase (XO), inducible heat shock protein (Hsp)70, and deoxyribonucleic acid damage marker 8-OHdG were measured in 122 patients, and effects of Type D, depression, and etiology were assessed. RESULTS: CHF patients with Type D personality had lower levels of Hsp70 than non-Type D patients (6.48 ng/mL versus 7.85 ng/mL, p =.04, d = 0.26), and in case of an ischemic etiology, higher levels of XO (13.57 ng/mL versus 9.84 ng/mL, p =.01, d = 0.98). There were no significant univariate differences for depression. When adding depression as an additional independent variable in the Type D analysis, the effect of Type D personality remained significant (F = 5.460, p =.02) and was independent of depression (F = 0.942, p =.33). The ratio of XO to Hsp70 was significantly higher in Type D patients with CHF as compared with non-Type D patients (6.14 versus 2.83, p =.03, d = 0.39), independent of etiology class. CONCLUSION: CHF patients with Type D personality are characterized by an increased oxidative stress burden, apparent in the decreased antioxidant levels and an increased oxidative stress ratio.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 973-980 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Psychosomatic Medicine |
Volume | 71 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2009 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chronic heart failure
- DNA damage
- Depression
- Heat shock proteins
- Oxidative stress
- Type D personality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health