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High risk perception (HRP) is fundamental for adequate health behavior. However, its impact on rapid access to cardiac care after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not known. Conflicting evidence exists about sources that promote HRP. Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 588 AMI patients who participated in the Munich Examination of Delay in Patients Experiencing Acute Myocardial Infarction (MEDEA) study were collected at the bedside. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression models identified factors associated with HRP. Only 13.4% (nâ¯= 79) of patients had a favorable HRP level. The HRP patients did not differ from those with low risk perception (LRP) in terms of sex, age, other sociodemographic features, and somatic risk factors. Among the univariate contributors to HRP were prodromal chest pain (pâ¯= 0.0004), symptom mismatch during AMI (pâ¯< 0.0001), depression (pâ¯= 0.01), and anxiety (pâ¯= 0.005). However, family history of AMI, a previous AMI, and knowledge of AMI remained significant in the multivariate regression model. Median delay time to reach a hospital-based emergency facility after the onset of AMI was 127â¯min (interquartile range [IQR]: 83-43, pâ¯= 0.02) in HRP patients and 216â¯min (IQR: 106-721) in LRP patients. An increasing risk perception score was associated with a corresponding stepwise decline in median delay time (pâ¯> 0.004). Self-perceived AMI risk is associated in a dose-response relationship with the time needed to reach coronary care emergency facilities. Recurrent AMI, family history of AMI, and sufficient knowledge of MI contribute to risk perception, whereas somatic risk factors do not.
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Serviços Médicos de Emergência , Infarto do Miocárdio com Supradesnível do Segmento ST , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Infarto do Miocárdio com Supradesnível do Segmento ST/terapia , Alemanha , Medição de Risco , Tempo para o Tratamento/estatística & dados numéricos , Idoso , Fatores de Risco , Autoavaliação Diagnóstica , PrevalênciaRESUMO
Patients with angina and unobstructed coronary arteries (ANOCA) are frequently encountered in clinical practice. These cases represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge and are often characterized by a long patient journey until a diagnosis of coronary vasomotor disorders is established. Moreover, the unsatisfactory management of such patients leads to insecurity, ongoing symptoms, and psychological sequelae such as anxiety or depression. Currently, the psychological burden in patients with ANOCA is underestimated, underexplored, and undertreated. This review gives a new perspective on the pathophysiology of coronary vasomotor disorders including psychological risk factors and calls for comprehensive care by interdisciplinary ANOCA clinics.
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Angina Pectoris , Humanos , Angina Pectoris/psicologia , Angina Pectoris/terapia , Angina Pectoris/epidemiologia , Comorbidade , Efeitos Psicossociais da Doença , Fatores de Risco , Vasos Coronários/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
AIMS: Suicidal ideation (SID) in patients with diabetes mellitus is increasingly acknowledged. Still, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We examined SID prevalences in patients with diabetes, its association with different types of abuse, and a mediating effect of personality functioning. METHODS: In a representative population sample (N = 2,515), diabetes, SID, abuse (ICAST-R), personality functioning (OPD-SQS), and depression/anxiety (PHQ-4) were assessed by self-report. Statistical analyses comprised Chi2-Tests, logistic regression and mediation analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of SID (21.8 %) was three fold higher in patients with diabetes compared to the general population. Abuse further increased the likelihood to report SID in diabetes patients (sexual: 48.1 % vs. 18.2 %; χ2(1) = 12.233, p <.001; emotional: 35.7 % vs. 15.7 %; χ2(1) = 10.892, p <.001). A dose-response relationship between the number of abuse experiences and SID was observed (one abuse experience: OR = 1.138, 95 %-CI [0.433, 2.990], p =.793, >2 abuse experiences: OR = 2.693, 95 %-CI [1.278, 5.675], p =.009). Impaired personality functioning had an indirect effect on the association between emotional abuse and SID (b = 0.25, 95 %-CI [0.037, 0.551]). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes patients experience increased SID prevalences, especially those with emotional or sexual abuse. In individuals with a history of emotional abuse, impaired personality functioning partly explained SID and should therefore be considered and addressed in this patient group.
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Maus-Tratos Infantis , Diabetes Mellitus , Humanos , Criança , Ideação Suicida , Maus-Tratos Infantis/psicologia , Depressão/epidemiologia , Depressão/psicologia , PersonalidadeRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL), an increased risk of morbidity, and mortality. Traditional AF-related outcomes (e.g., AF recurrence) primarily demonstrate the physiological benefits of AF management but do not focus on the benefits experienced subjectively by the patient (i.e., patient-reported outcomes), which have been suggested as optimal endpoints in AF intervention studies. The aim of this study is to identify medical and psychological factors associated with impaired HRQoL at 1-year follow-up. METHODS: Using data from the prospective observational multicenter ARENA study in patients with AF, we analyzed associations between medical factors, anxiety, and HRQoL at 1-year follow-up assessed using 5-level EuroQoL-5D. RESULTS: In 1353 AF patients (mean age 71.4 ± 10.3 years, 33.8% female), none of the medical predictors (e.g., heart disease) or history of cardioversion were associated with HRQoL at the 1-year follow-up. Higher generalized anxiety (ß = -0.114, p < .001) but not cardiac anxiety (ß = -0.006, p = .809) at baseline predicted decreased HRQoL, independent of confounding variables and patients' medical status. Furthermore, the worsening of patients' generalized anxiety was associated with decreased HRQoL (ß = -0.091, p < .001). In contrast, the improvement of generalized anxiety over time predicted higher HRQoL (ß = 0.097, p < .001). Finally, the worsening of patients' cardiac anxiety over time was associated with decreased HRQoL (ß = -0.081, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the importance of anxiety as a predictor of future HRQoL in patients with AF. Additional studies to examine the impact of anxiety treatment on HRQoL in this population are needed. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The investigators registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02978248) on November 30, 2016 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02978248.
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Fibrilação Atrial , Humanos , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Masculino , Fibrilação Atrial/complicações , Qualidade de Vida/psicologia , Ansiedade/psicologia , Estudos Prospectivos , PacientesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in individuals with an alerting reaction, assessed by hypertension in the first blood pressure (BP) reading but normal BP in further readings, remains unknown in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a sample of 11 146 adults (51.5% men and 48.5% women) with a mean age of 47.1âyears (SDâ±â12.3) from a German population-based cohort, we analyzed risk factors and CVD mortality risk associated with an alerting reaction. An alerting reaction was prevalent in 10.2% of the population and associated with sociodemographic, lifestyle, and somatic CVD risk factors. Within a mean follow-up period of 22.7âyears (SDâ±â7.05âyears; max: 32âyears; 253 201 person years), 1420 (12.7%) CVD mortality cases were observed. The CVD mortality rate associated with an alerting reaction was significantly higher than in normotension (64 vs. 32âcases/10 000 person-years), but lower than hypertension (118âcases/10 000 person-years). Correspondingly, the alerting reaction was associated with a 23% higher hazard ratio of CVD mortality than normal blood pressure [hazard ratio 1.23 (95% confidence interval 1.02-1.49), P â=â0.04]. However, adjustment for antihypertensive medication use attenuated this association [1.19 (0.99-1.44), P â=â0.06]. CONCLUSION: The results may warrant monitoring of an alerting reaction as a preventive measure of CVD mortality in untreated individuals with elevated first BP readings, as well as optimized treatment in treated individuals.
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Doenças Cardiovasculares , Hipertensão , Adulto , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etiologia , Pressão Sanguínea/fisiologia , Estudos Prospectivos , Hipertensão/complicações , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão/epidemiologia , Determinação da Pressão Arterial , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Objective: The presence and intensity of symptoms vary in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. We aimed to determine which saccadic and vestibulo-ocular reflex parameters best predict the presence of symptoms in unilateral vestibular hypofunction in order to better understand vestibular compensation and its implications for rehabilitation therapy. Methods: Video head impulse test data were analyzed from a subpopulation of 23 symptomatic and 10 currently symptom-free participants with unilateral vestibular hypofunction, embedded in the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg) FF4 study, the second follow-up of the KORA S4 population-based health survey (2,279 participants). Results: A higher number of catch-up saccades, a higher percentage of covert saccades, and a larger retinal error at 200 ms after the onset of the head impulse were associated with relevant symptoms in participants with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (p = 0.028, p = 0.046, and p = 0.038, respectively). After stepwise selection, the number of catch-up saccades and retinal error at 200 ms remained in the final logistic regression model, which was significantly better than a null model (p = 0.014). Age, gender, saccade amplitude, saccade latency, and VOR gain were not predictive of the presence of symptoms. Conclusion: The accuracy of saccadic compensation seems to be crucial for the presence of symptoms in unilateral vestibular hypofunction, highlighting the role of specific gaze stabilization exercises in rehabilitation. Early saccades, mainly triggered by the vestibular system, do not seem to compensate accurately enough, resulting in a relevant retinal error and the need for more as well as more accurate catch-up saccades, probably triggered by the visual system.
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Metabolome reflects the interplay of genome and exposome at molecular level and thus can provide deep insights into the pathogenesis of a complex disease like major depression. To identify metabolites associated with depression we performed a metabolome-wide association analysis in 13,596 participants from five European population-based cohorts characterized for depression, and circulating metabolites using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem accurate mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS) based Metabolon platform. We tested 806 metabolites covering a wide range of biochemical processes including those involved in lipid, amino-acid, energy, carbohydrate, xenobiotic and vitamin metabolism for their association with depression. In a conservative model adjusting for life style factors and cardiovascular and antidepressant medication use we identified 8 metabolites, including 6 novel, significantly associated with depression. In individuals with depression, increased levels of retinol (vitamin A), 1-palmitoyl-2-palmitoleoyl-GPC (16:0/16:1) (lecithin) and mannitol/sorbitol and lower levels of hippurate, 4-hydroxycoumarin, 2-aminooctanoate (alpha-aminocaprylic acid), 10-undecenoate (11:1n1) (undecylenic acid), 1-linoleoyl-GPA (18:2) (lysophosphatidic acid; LPA 18:2) are observed. These metabolites are either directly food derived or are products of host and gut microbial metabolism of food-derived products. Our Mendelian randomization analysis suggests that low hippurate levels may be in the causal pathway leading towards depression. Our findings highlight putative actionable targets for depression prevention that are easily modifiable through diet interventions.
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Depressão , Espectrometria de Massas em Tandem , Humanos , Depressão/metabolismo , Dieta , Metaboloma/genética , Vitamina A/metabolismo , Hipuratos , Metabolômica/métodosRESUMO
The coexistence of several chronic diseases is very common in older adults, making it crucial to understand multimorbidity (MM) patterns and associated mortality. We aimed to determine the prevalence of MM and common chronic disease combinations, as well as their impact on mortality in men and women aged 65 years and older using the population-based KORA-Age study, based in South of Germany. The chronic disease status of the participants was determined in 2008/9, and mortality status was followed up until 2016. MM was defined as having at least two chronic diseases. We used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between MM and all-cause mortality. During the study period 495 men (24.6%) and 368 women (17.4%) died. Although the MM prevalence was almost the same in men (57.7%) and women (60.0%), the overall effect of MM on mortality was higher in men (HR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.47-2.24) than in women (HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01-1.64; p-value for interaction <0.001). The type of disease included in the MM patterns had a significant impact on mortality risk. For example, when both heart disease and diabetes were included in the combinations of two and three diseases, the mortality risk was highest. The risk of premature death does not only depend on the number of diseases but also on the specific disease combinations. In this study, life expectancy depended strongly on a few diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
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The Covid-19 pandemic during its early phases posed significant psychological threats particularly for medical frontline personal. It is unclear whether the medical workforce with the passage of time has adapted to these threats or have generalized to wider medical settings. An online survey was conducted reaching 1476 physicians in Germany with valid data from 1327 participants. Depression and anxiety were screened with the PHQ-2 and the GAD-2. Among a subtotal of 1139 (86.6%) physicians reporting personal treatment experiences with Covid-19 patients, 553 (84.8%) worked in a private practice (PP) and 586 (88.3%) in a hospital (HP). Covid-19 provoked profound conflicts between professional and ethical values: more physicians in PPs than HPs reported external constraints on their medical care being in conflict with the code of medical ethics (39.1 vs. 34.4%, p < 0.002) and significantly more HPs failed to maintain the dignity of their patients during the pandemic (48 vs. 27%, p < 0.0001). Comparison with reference groups among physicians with comparable size and settings during the first wave of Covid-19 revealed a significant increase in the prevalence of depression (23.0%) and anxiety (24.16%). Feelings of helplessness (63.3% in HPs and 53.4% in PPs) were associated with female sex, minor years of medical experience, sleeping problems and being encountered to unsettling events. Exposure to unsettling events and helplessness was significantly mediated by sleep disturbances (ß = 0.29, SE = 0.03, p < 0.0001). Covid-19 induced stress job content issues have broadened to medical disciplines beyond frontline workers. Emotional perturbations among physicians have attained a critical magnitude.
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COVID-19 , Médicos , Humanos , Feminino , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Pandemias , Saúde Mental , SARS-CoV-2 , Depressão/epidemiologia , Depressão/psicologia , Médicos/psicologia , Pessoal de Saúde/psicologia , Ansiedade/epidemiologia , Ansiedade/psicologia , Prática Privada , HospitaisRESUMO
Results from a population-based study suggest sex-specific patterns of self-reported child maltreatment, more frequently reported in former West than East Germany. Aim of the current study was to examine these patterns in two regional samples of the former East- (SHIP, 2008 - 2012) and West German (KORA, 2013 - 2014) population. Child maltreatment was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Screener (CTS). Overall, child maltreatment was less often reported in the East German sample, compared to the West German sample. The most prominent differences were identified in self-rated emotional violence (east 6.1%, west 8.7%), physical violence (east 5.7%, west 10.3%) and physical neglect (east 10.0%, west 19.2%). However, we could not find differences in sex-specific patterns between the East and West German samples. Results were discussed within a historical context, since the events took place before the German reunification in two oppose political systems.
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Maus-Tratos Infantis , Criança , Masculino , Feminino , Humanos , Estudos de Coortes , Maus-Tratos Infantis/psicologia , Violência , Alemanha Oriental , Emoções , Alemanha/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Management of radiological incidental findings (IF) is of rising importance; however, psychosocial implications of IF reporting remain unclear. We compared long-term psychosocial effects between individuals who underwent whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without reported IF, and individuals who did not undergo imaging. We used a longitudinal population-based cohort from Western Europe. Longitudinal analysis included three examinations (exam 1, 6 years prior to MRI; exam 2, MRI; exam 3, 4 years after MRI). Psychosocial outcomes included PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire), DEEX (Depression and Exhaustion Scale), PSS-10 (Perceived Stress Scale) and a Somatization Scale. Univariate analyses and adjusted linear mixed models were calculated. Among 855 included individuals, 25% (n = 212) underwent MRI and 6% (n = 50) had at least one reported IF. Compared to MRI participants, non-participants had a higher psychosocial burden indicated by PHQ-9 in exam 1 (3.3 ± 3.3 vs. 2.5 ± 2.3) and DEEX (8.6 ± 4.7 vs. 7.7 ± 4.4), Somatization Scale (5.9 ± 4.3 vs. 4.8 ± 3.8) and PSS-10 (14.7 ± 5.7 vs. 13.7 ± 5.3, all p < 0.05) in exam 3. MRI participation without IF reporting was significantly associated with lower values of DEEX, PHQ-9 and Somatization Scale. There were no significant differences at the three timepoints between MRI participants with and without IF. In conclusion, individuals who voluntarily participated in whole-body MRI had less psychosocial burden and imaging and IF reporting were not associated with adverse long-term psychosocial consequences. However, due to the study design we cannot conclude that the MRI exam itself represented a beneficial intervention causing improvement in mental health scores.
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OBJECTIVE: Low levels of social connectivity are related to the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), and this study investigates the role of body weight in this association. METHODS: In a sample of 9448 participants followed for a mean of 15.3 years (186,158.5 person-years) from the Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease Augsburg/Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg population-based cohort conducted in Germany, we investigated the association of social connectivity, measured by the Social Network Index, and body mass index (BMI) with the risk of clinically validated T2D incidence using stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, life-style, cardiometabolic, and psychosocial risk factors. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 14.1 years (186,158.5 person-years), 975 (10.3%) participants developed T2D. Participants with low social connectivity developed T2D at a higher rate than socially connected participants (10.0 versus 8.0 cases/10,000 person-years); however, BMI played a significant role in the association of social connectivity with T2D ( p < .001). In comparison to their socially connected counterparts, low social connectivity was associated with a higher rate of T2D incidence in normal-weight (6.0 versus 2.0 cases/10,000 person-years), but not overweight (13.0 versus 13.0 cases/10,000 person-years) or obese participants (32.0 versus 30.0 cases/10,000 person-years). Correspondingly, Cox regression analysis showed that 5-unit increments in BMI increased the risk of T2D in socially connected participants (hazard ratio = 3.03, 95% confidence interval = 2.48-3.79, p < .001) at a substantially higher rate than in low socially connected participants (hazard ratio = 1.77, 95% confidence interval = 1.45-2.16, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The detrimental link between low social connectivity and increased risk of T2D is substantially stronger in participants with a lower BMI.
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Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 , Humanos , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/etiologia , Estudos Prospectivos , Estudos de Coortes , Índice de Massa Corporal , Incidência , Obesidade/epidemiologia , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the stability of somatic symptoms in community-dwelling participants. METHODS: The study included 2472 participants (1190 men, 1282 women; mean age 44.3 ± 10.9) from the prospective population-based MONICA-S3 cohort (1994/95) and the 10-year follow-up KORA-F3 cohort. Somatic symptoms were assessed by an adapted version of the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8a) with scores ranging from 0 to 24. Somatic symptom stability was assessed by weighted kappa values (κ). Generalized Estimating Equation models assessing symptom stability were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical and psychosocial risk factors, as well as pre-existing medical conditions. RESULTS: The mean (±SD) SSS-8a was lower in men (S3: 6.88 ± 3.87, F3: 6.60 ± 3.86) than women (S3: 8.43 ± 4.0, F3: 8.31 ± 4.2) at both time points. However, somatic symptoms remained moderately stable in both genders over 10 years (κ =0.42 in men and κ = 0.48 in women), with the largest stability observed in trouble sleeping for men (κ =0.41) and pain in the joints for women (κ =0.41). Pre-existing somatic symptoms were significantly associated with increasing symptoms at follow-up [men: ß = 0.82 (SE 0.12), women: ß = 0.85 (SE 0.12)], followed by age and psychosocial factors, whereas higher education and recent health care utilization were inversely associated with increasing symptoms. Although hypertension and obesity were associated with increasing somatic symptoms in men, pre-existing medical conditions were not associated with increasing somatic symptoms in men nor women. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings indicate that somatic symptoms remain moderately stable in the general population during 10 years of follow-up, mainly driven by sociodemographic and psychosocial factors.
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Sintomas Inexplicáveis , Adulto , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Dor , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Gender specific all-cause mortality risk associated with a high somatic symptom burden (SSB) in a population-based cohort was investigated. The study population included 5679 women and 5861 men aged 25-74 years from the population-based MONICA/KORA Cohort. SSB was assessed following the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 and categorized as very high (≥ 95th percentile), high (60-95th percentile), moderate (30-60th percentile), and low (≤ 30th percentile). The impact of SSB on all-cause mortality risk within a mean follow-up period of 22.6 years (SD 7.1; 267,278 person years) was estimated by gender-specific Cox regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, somatic and psychosocial risk factors, as well as pre-existing medical conditions. Approximately 5.7% of men and 7.3% of women had very high SSB. During follow-up, 3638 (30.6%) mortality cases were observed. Men with a very-high SSB had 48% increased relative risk of mortality in comparison to men with a low SSB after adjustment for concurrent risk factors (1.48, 95% CI 1.20-1.81, p < .0001), corresponding to 2% increased risk of mortality for each 1-point increment in SSB (1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.03; p = 0.03). In contrast, women with a very high SSB had a 22% lower risk of mortality (0.78, 95% CI 0.61-1.00, p = 0.05) and women with high SSB had an 18% lower risk of mortality (0.82; 95% CI 0.68-0.98, p = 0.03) following adjustment for concurrent risk factors. The current findings indicate that an increasing SSB is an independent risk factor for mortality in men but not in women, pointing in the direction of critical gender differences in the management of SSB, including women's earlier health care utilization than men.
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Sintomas Inexplicáveis , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Estilo de Vida , Masculino , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Background: The dysregulation of glucose homeostasis via mental health stress is increasingly acknowledged, whereby depression independently increases the risk of the onset of type 2 diabetes by up to 60%. Contributing mental health factors starting in early life have further been considered, indicating that exposure to childhood emotional abuse is associated with both depression and an increased onset of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. However, the potential role of depression within the emotional abuse and type 2 diabetes link remains unknown. Methods: Data were derived from community-dwelling participants in southern and northeastern Germany who participated in the longitudinal KORA-F4 and SHIP-3 studies. Multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for lifestyle, somatic, and psychological risk factors were used to investigate the association between childhood emotional abuse, assessed retrospectively by the Childhood Trauma Screener, and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes cases, which were confirmed using a standard oral glucose tolerance test. The mediating role of depressive symptoms between childhood emotional abuse and type 2 diabetes was assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and calculated by using the Sobel test for mediation. Results: A total of 2,973 (53.2% women, 46.8% men) participants with a mean age of 49.7 were included in the analyses, of whom 5.9% (7.1% women, 4.5% men) reported emotional abuse in childhood. Participants exposed to childhood emotional abuse had a 1.70 (1.12-2.56; p = 0.02) times higher odds of depression in the fully adjusted model than unexposed participants. During the 6.5-year follow-up period, 104 (3.5%) participants developed type 2 diabetes. Participants who were exposed to childhood emotional abuse had a 2.56 (1.31-4.98, p = 0.005) times higher odds of developing type 2 diabetes than unexposed participants. This association was significantly mediated by the increased odds of depression in participants with childhood emotional abuse (Sobel Test, 1.84, p = 0.06; Goodman Test, 1.91, p = 0.05). Conclusion: The current results indicate that the increased likelihood of type 2 diabetes onset in participants who were exposed to childhood emotional abuse is significantly attributed to increased depression in adulthood.
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Psychosocial stress has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and death. Dysregulated diurnal cortisol slopes, which have also been associated with stress, might mediate this association. However, existing evidence on the cardiovascular health consequences of dysregulated cortisol slopes remains limited and inconclusive. To elucidate whether dysregulated diurnal cortisol slopes are related to cardiovascular mortality, we assessed salivary cortisol and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in 1090 participants from the KORA-F3 study, a prospective, observational cohort study of a random representative sample from the general population. Eighty-seven deaths were registered during the mean follow-up period of approximately 11 years, 31 of which were classified as cardiovascular deaths. A more pronounced cortisol awakening response was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality in the adjusted Cox proportional hazards analysis (HR 0.59 [95-%-CI 0.36-0.96], p = 0.03). A greater diurnal cortisol peak-to-bedtime ratio at baseline also predicted a decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.50 [95-%-CI 0.34-0.73], p 0.01) and a decreased risk of stroke (HR 0.71 [95-%-CI 0.55-0.92], p 0.01). Increased levels of late night salivary cortisol predicted a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.49 [95-%-CI 1.13-1.97], p 0.01) and an increased risk of stroke (HR 1.24 [95-%-CI 1.01-1.52], p = 0.04). There was no association between measures of cortisol and non-cardiovascular related mortality. In conclusion, dysregulated diurnal cortisol patterns are associated with cardiovascular mortality, while greater diurnal cortisol variation seems to have a protective effect. This adds evidence to suggest a pathophysiological role of diurnal cortisol secretion patterns in cardiovascular health.