Depression and anxiety in different hypertension phenotypes: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major risk factor of cardiovascular mortality. Mood disorders represent a growing public health problem worldwide. A complex relationship is present between mood disorders and cardiovascular diseases. However, less data is available about the level of depression and anxiety in different hypertension phenotypes. The aim of our study was to evaluate psychometric parameters in healthy controls (Cont), in patients with white-coat hypertension (WhHT), with chronic, non-resistant hypertension (non-ResHT), and with chronic, treatment-resistant hypertension (ResHT). METHODS: In a cross-sectional study setup 363 patients were included with the following distribution: 82 Cont, 44 WhHT, 200 non-ResHT and 37 ResHT. The patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A). RESULTS: BDI points were higher in WhHT (7 (3-11)) and ResHT (6 (3-11.5)) compared with Cont (3 (1-6), p < 0.05). Similarly, HAM-A points were higher in WhHT (8 (5-15)) and ResHT (10.5 (5.25-18.75)) compared with Cont (4 (1-7), p < 0.05) and also compared with non-ResHT (5 (2-10), p < 0.05). ResHT was independently associated with HAM-A scale equal or above 3 points (Beta = 3.804, 95%CI 1.204-12.015). WhHT was independently associated with HAM-A scale equal or above 2 points (Beta = 7.701, 95%CI 1.165-18.973) and BDI scale equal or above 5 points (Beta = 2.888, 95%CI 1.170-7.126). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest psychopathological similarities between white-coat hypertension and resistant hypertension. As recently it was demonstrated that white-coat hypertension is not a benign condition, our findings can have relevance for future interventional purposes to improve the outcome of these patients.

Association between affective temperaments and arterial stiffness index in chronic hypertensive patients. / Az affektív temperamentumok és az artériás érfalmerevségi index kapcsolata krónikus hypertoniás betegekben.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Az affektív temperamentumok (depresszív, cyclothym, hyperthym, ingerlékeny, szorongó) a személyiségnek olyan genetikailag meghatározott, felnottkorban stabil részei, amelyekkel jellemezhetok a környezeti ingerekre adott érzelmi válaszok. Az artériás érfalmerevségi index megmutatja, hogy az adott egyénnek a valóságban mért és az elvárt pulzushullám-terjedési sebessége (PWV) milyen arányban áll egymással; pozitív értéke számít kórosnak. Célkituzés: Célunk az volt, hogy az affektív temperamentumok kapcsolatát vizsgáljuk az artériás érfalmerevségi indexszel krónikus hypertoniás betegekben. Módszer: A bevont betegeknél tonometriás eszközzel (PulsePen) mértük a carotis-femoralis PWV-t, mely az artériás érfalmerevség legelfogadottabb markere. Az artériás érfalmerevségi indexet a mért és az elvárt PWV arányában határoztuk meg. Az affektív temperamentumokat a Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire kérdoív (TEMPS-A) segítségével objektivizáltuk. Eredmények: Vizsgálatunkba 185 beteget vontunk be, életkoruk 61,6 (49,5-69,8) év volt. Kortól, nemtol, diabetestol, alkoholfogyasztástól, dohányzástól, BMI-tol, systolés vérnyomástól, összkoleszterinszinttol és GFR-tol független kapcsolatot találtunk az artériás érfalmerevségi index és a depresszív (B = 0,009, 95% CI: 0,002-0,017, p = 0,018), a cyclothym (B = 0,009, 95% CI: 0,002-0,016, p = 0,012), az ingerlékeny (B = 0,013, 95% CI: 0,005-0,021, p<0,001) és a szorongó (B = 0,008, 95% CI: 0,003-0,013, p<0,001) temperamentum között. Következtetés: Újabb kapcsolatot sikerült kimutatni egy cardiovascularis rizikót jelzo paraméter és az affektív temperamentumok között, ami megerosíti ezen személyiségjegyek meghatározásának jelentoségét cardiovascularis prevenciós szempontból is az ismert pszichopatológiai vonatkozások mellett. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(8): 312-318. INTRODUCTION: Affective temperaments (depressive, anxious, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable) are genetically determined, adult-stable parts of the personality that characterize emotional responses to environmental stimuli. The arterial stiffness index demonstrates the ratio of the actually measured and expected pulse wave velocity (PWV) of a given individual. The positive value is considered to be abnormal. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between affective temperaments and arterial stiffness index in chronic hypertensive patients. METHOD: Carotid-femoral PWV, the most accepted marker of arterial stiffness, was measured using a tonometric device (PulsePen). The arterial stiffness index was determined as the ratio of measured and expected PWVs. Affective temperaments were evaluated by the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). RESULTS: The study included 185 patients, with a mean age of 61.6 (49.5-69.8) years. We found association between arterial stiffness index and depressive (B = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.009-0.017, p = 0.018), cyclothymic (B = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.002-0.016, p = 0.012), irritable (B = 0.013, 95% CI: 0.005-0.021, p = 0.001), and anxious (B = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.003-0.013, p = 0.001) temperaments independent of age, sex, diabetes, alcohol consumption, smoking, BMI, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and GFR. CONCLUSION: An additional relationship between a cardiovascular risk measure and affective temperaments has been demonstrated, confirming the importance of determining these personality traits aiming cardiovascular prevention in addition to their known psychopathological aspects. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(8): 312-318.

Cross-sectional comparison of office and ambulatory pulse wave velocity by two methods, and their changes after lifestyle or medical interventions in hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Pulse wave velocity (PWV), the most accepted biomarker of arterial stiffening can be measured by different methods and in the past decade, its 24 h monitoring has also become available. The aim of our study was to compare office and ambulatory PWVs and in a proportion of patients to compare the changes of PWVs after the initiation of lifestyle modifications or antihypertensive medication. METHODS: Office carotid-femoral PWV was measured with the tonometric PulsePen device (PP PWV), first hour and 24 h ambulatory oscillometric PWVs were evaluated with Mobil-O-Graph (MOB first hour PWV and MOB 24 h PWV, respectively). In new hypertensive patients, the measurements were repeated 3 months after the initiation of antihypertensive medication. In white-coat hypertensive patients after lifestyle modifications the measurements were repeated at 12 months. RESULTS: One hundred and five participants were involved with 22 new hypertensive and 22 white-coat hypertensive (WhHT) patients. PP PWV [8.7 (7.3-9.9) m/s] differed from MOB first hour PWV [7.3 (6.5-8.8) m/s] and MOB 24 h PWV [7.4 (6.4-8.8) m/s] as well (P < 0.05). PP PWV significantly decreased both in hypertensive [by 0.9 (0.4-1.5) m/s, P < 0.05] and WhHT patients [by 0.3 (-0.1 to 1) m/s, P < 0.05]. MOB first hour PWV did not change neither in hypertensive patients, nor in WhHT patients. MOB 24 h PWV decreased only in hypertensive patients [by 0.2 (0-0.6) m/s], which was less pronounced compared with PP PWV (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The significant differences observed both in the cross-sectional and in the prospective parts of our study suggests that the two methods are not interchangeable.

Comparison of Different Cardiovascular Risk Score and Pulse Wave Velocity-Based Methods for Vascular Age Calculation.

BACKGROUND: The calculation of vascular age can help patients understand the importance of adherence to healthy lifestyle and medications. However, multiple methods are available to calculate vascular age and no comparison data is available yet. Our aim was to evaluate vascular age based on the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). METHODS: Consecutive subjects between the age of 40-65 years, who took part in a screening program in three general practitioner practices were involved. PWV was measured by tonometry and was compared with normal values. Vascular age was defined based on FRS and SCORE according to literature data. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-two (172) patients were involved. The median chronological age was 55.5 (48.8-61.2) years. The median vascular age based on FRS and SCORE were 64 (54-79) years and 55 (44.2-60.7) years, respectively (p<0.05). Based on PWV, FRS and SCORE, 40.1%, 78.5% and 32% of the subjects had increased vascular age compared with chronological age, respectively (PWV+, FRS+, SCORE+, p<0.05). Fifty-eight (58) (84%) of the PWV+ subjects were also FRS+, and this proportion was high in case of SCORE+ patients as well (n=47, 85.4%). However, only moderate overlap was found between PWV+ and SCORE+ subjects as 17 (30.9%) of SCORE+ patients were also PWV+. CONCLUSION: The differences found between the calculated vascular ages and the proportion of subjects with elevated vascular age warrants further detailed comparison of different vascular age calculation methods.

Association between Cyclothymic Affective Temperament and Age of Onset of Hypertension.

Affective temperaments represent a biologically stable core of emotional reactivity and have previously been associated with hypertension and arterial stiffening. The age, when hypertension is initiated, is influenced by different factors, but the role of personality traits in this regard is not clarified yet. Our aim was to study the association between affective temperaments and the age at onset of hypertension. In this cross-sectional study, 353 patients were included. After the evaluation of history, patients completed the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire. We used linear regression analysis to identify predictors of the age of onset of hypertension in the whole cohort and in male and female subpopulations. The independent predictors of the age at onset of hypertension were male sex (B = -4.57 (95% CI = -1.40 to -7.74)), smoking (B = -4.31 (-7.41 to -1.22)), and positive family history (B = -6.84 (-10.22 to -3.45)). In women, cyclothymic temperament score was an independent predictor of the initiation of hypertension (B = -0.83 (-1.54 to -0.12)), while this association was absent in men. Besides traditional factors, cyclothymic affective temperament might contribute to the earlier initiation of hypertension in women.

Inverse association between hyperthymic affective temperament and coronary atherosclerosis: A coronary computed tomography angiography study.

OBJECTIVE: A bidirectional relationship exists between psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular diseases, however less is known with regards to personality traits. Accumulating data suggest that affective temperaments are both associated with psychiatric and somatic diseases. The aim of our study was to evaluate the associations between different affective temperaments and the presence of coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS: 200 consecutive patients referred to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) were included in our study. Medical history and demographic parameters were recorded and all patients completed the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The presence of coronary artery disease was evaluated based on the CCTA images. RESULTS: 39 patients were free of any coronary atherosclerosis (CCTA-) and 161 had coronary atherosclerosis (CCTA+). Hyperthymic affective temperament score was higher in CCTA- subjects as compared to CCTA+ (13.1±3.0 vs 11.5±4.6, p=0.010, respectively). Hyperthymic affective temperament score showed a significant independent, inverse relationship with coronary atherosclerosis (OR: 0.91 CI: 0.82-0.99, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that hyperthymic affective temperament is independently associated with the absence of CAD. It requires further research to delineate the mechanism mediating the effect of hyperthymia on better coronary artery health and establishing potential biochemical or behavioral factors, both of which could be exploited for prevention and treatment purposes. But it is plausible, that the evaluation of affective temperaments have importance both in relation with psychiatric and cardiovascular disorders.

The impact of currently recommended antihypertensive therapy on depression and other psychometric parameters: preliminary communication.

AIMS: Current evidence on the psychological effects of antihypertensive medications is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of current antihypertensive medication on different psychometric parameters and on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level. METHODS: Psychometric, haemodynamic, arterial stiffness and laboratory parameters were evaluated before and 3 months after the initiation of antihypertensive medication in untreated hypertensive patients (HT, n=31), and once in healthy controls (CONT, n=22). Subjects completed the following psychometric tests: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire, Big Five Inventory, Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire and Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire. Amlodipine and/or perindopril compounds were preferred medications. Serum BDNF was measured with ELISA. RESULTS: Brachial systolic blood pressure, as well as pulse wave velocity were significantly improved in the HT group over the 3-month follow-up (153.3±15.9 mmHg vs. 129.5±10.0 mmHg and 8.2±1.4 m/s vs 7.5±1.6 m/s, respectively). Similarly, we found improvements in BDI (0.73 points) and in several Scl-90 subscales. Serum BDNF was not different between CONT and HT and did not change for therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that initiation of currently recommended antihypertensive medications in newly diagnosed patients may have a significant impact on psychological well-being of patients and could influence quality of life as well.

Hyperthymic affective temperament and hypertension are independent determinants of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level.

BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has neuroprotective, proangiogenic and myogenic effects and, therefore, possibly acts as a psychosomatic mediator. Here, we measured serum BDNF (seBDNF) level in hypertensive patients (HT) and healthy controls (CONT) and its relation to affective temperaments, depression and anxiety scales, and arterial stiffness parameters. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, affective temperaments, anxiety, and depression were studied with questionnaires (TEMPS-A, HAM-A, and BDI, respectively). SeBDNF level and routine laboratory parameters were measured as well. Arterial stiffness was evaluated with a tonometric method. RESULTS: Allover, 151 HT, and 32 CONT subjects were involved in the study. SeBDNF level was significantly higher in HT compared to CONT (24880 ± 8279 vs 21202.6 ± 6045.5 pg/mL, p < 0.05). In the final model of regression analysis, hyperthymic temperament score (Beta = 405.8, p = 0.004) and the presence of hypertension (Beta = 6121.2, p = 0.001) were independent determinants of seBDNF. In interaction analysis, it was found that in HT, a unit increase in hyperthymic score was associated with a 533.3 (95 %CI 241.3-825.3) pg/mL higher seBDNF. This interaction was missing in CONT. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a complex psychosomatic involvement of BDNF in the pathophysiology of hypertension, where hyperthymic affective temperament may have a protective role. BDNF is not likely to have an effect on large arteries.

Association of affective temperaments with blood pressure and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Affective temperaments (anxious, depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and hyperthymic) measure subclinical manifestations of major mood disorders. Furthermore, cumulating evidence suggests their involvement in somatic disorders as well. We aimed to assess associations between affective temperament scores and blood pressure and arterial stiffness parameters in hypertensive patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 173 patients with well-controlled or grade 1 chronic hypertension, with no history of depression, completed the TEMPS-A, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) questionnaires in three GP practices. Arterial stiffness was measured with tonometry (PulsePen). RESULTS: According to multiple linear regression analysis, cyclothymic temperament score was positively associated with brachial systolic blood pressure independently of age, sex, total cholesterol, brachial diastolic blood pressure, BDI, HAM-A and the use of alprazolam (ß = 0.529, p = 0.042), while hyperthymic temperament score was negatively related to augmentation index independent of age, sex, smoking, heart rate, BDI, HAM-A and the use of alprazolam (ß = -0.612, p = 0.013). A significant interaction was found between cyclothymic temperament score and sex in predicting brachial systolic blood pressure (p = 0.025), between irritable and anxious temperament scores and sex in predicting pulse wave velocity (p = 0.021, p = 0.023, respectively) and an interaction with borderline significance between hyperthymic temperament score and sex in predicting augmentation index (p = 0.052). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings highlight elevated blood pressure among subjects with high cyclothymic temperament as well as an increased level of arterial stiffening in subjects with low hyperthymic scores suggesting that affective temperaments may play a role in the development of hypertension and arterial stiffening and may thus represent markers of cardiovascular risk. Sex differences were also present in these associations.

Evening and morning exhaled volatile compound patterns are different in obstructive sleep apnoea assessed with electronic nose.

PURPOSE: Electronic noses represent a technique for the measurement of exhaled breath volatile compound pattern which can discriminate patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) from control subjects. Although overnight changes in circulating biomarkers were reported, this effect on the exhaled volatile compound pattern has not been studied before. We aimed to compare breath patterns in the evening and in the morning in patients with OSA and to study the ability of the electronic nose to distinguish patients from controls based on these exhaled volatile patterns. METHODS: Exhaled breath volatile compound pattern was measured before and after night in 26 patients with suspected sleep-disordered breathing (53 ± 15 years) who underwent polysomnography and in ten control subjects (37 ± 15 years), by whom sleep-disordered breathing was excluded with a home apnoea screening device. Breath measurements were also performed in the morning in 26 healthy, non-smoking age-matched controls (48 ± 10 years) with no complaints about disturbed sleep. Exhaled volatile compound pattern was processed with a Cyranose 320 electronic nose, and principal component analysis was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Exhaled volatile compound patterns recorded in the evening and in the morning were different in patients with OSA (p = 0.01) but not in non-OSA habitual snorers (p = 0.49) or in control subjects (p = 0.23). The electronic nose distinguished patients with OSA from control subjects based on the breath samples collected in the morning (p < 0.001, classification accuracy 77 %) but not in the evening (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Evening and morning exhaled volatile compound patterns are different in OSA. This might affect the ability of electronic noses to identify this disorder. Overnight alterations in volatile substances need to be taken into account during exhaled breath measurements in OSA.

Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and anatomic dead space influence electronic nose ability to detect lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Electronic noses are composites of nanosensor arrays. Numerous studies showed their potential to detect lung cancer from breath samples by analysing exhaled volatile compound pattern ("breathprint"). Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and inclusion of anatomic dead space may influence the exhaled levels of some volatile compounds; however it has not been fully addressed how these factors affect electronic nose data. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate these effects. METHODS: 37 healthy subjects (44 ± 14 years) and 27 patients with lung cancer (60 ± 10 years) participated in the study. After deep inhalation through a volatile organic compound filter, subjects exhaled at two different flow rates (50 ml/sec and 75 ml/sec) into Teflon-coated bags. The effect of breath hold was analysed after 10 seconds of deep inhalation. We also studied the effect of anatomic dead space by excluding this fraction and comparing alveolar air to mixed (alveolar + anatomic dead space) air samples. Exhaled air samples were processed with Cyranose 320 electronic nose. RESULTS: Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and the inclusion of anatomic dead space significantly altered "breathprints" in healthy individuals (p < 0.05), but not in lung cancer (p > 0.05). These factors also influenced the discrimination ability of the electronic nose to detect lung cancer significantly. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that expiratory flow, breath hold and dead space influence exhaled volatile compound pattern assessed with electronic nose. These findings suggest critical methodological recommendations to standardise sample collections for electronic nose measurements.

Lack of heritability of exhaled volatile compound pattern: an electronic nose twin study.

Electronic noses can distinguish various disorders by analyzing exhaled volatile organic compound (VOC) pattern; however it is unclear how hereditary and environmental backgrounds affect the exhaled VOC pattern. A twin study enrolling monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins is an ideal tool to separate the influence of these factors on the exhaled breath pattern. Exhaled breath samples were collected in duplicates from 28 never smoking twin pairs (in total 112 samples) without lung diseases and processed with an electronic nose (Cyranose 320). Univariate quantitative hereditary modeling (ACE analysis) adjusted for age and gender was performed to decompose the phenotypic variance of the exhaled volatile compound pattern (assessing principal components (PCs) derived from electronic nose data) into hereditary (A), shared (C), and unshared (E) environmental effects. Exhaled VOC pattern showed good intra-subject reproducibility as assessed with the Bland-Altman plot. Significant correlations were found between exhaled VOC patterns of both MZ and DZ twins. The hereditary background did not influence the VOC pattern. The shared environmental effect on PC 1, 2 and 3 was estimated to be 93%, 94% and 54%, respectively. The unshared (unique) environmental influence explained a smaller variance (7%, 6% and 46%). For the first time using the twin design, we have shown that the environmental background largely affects the exhaled volatile compound pattern in never smoking volunteers without respiratory disorders. Further studies should identify these environmental factors and also assess their influence on exhaled breath patterns in patients with lung diseases.