Abstract 13149: Mental Stress-Induced Hemodynamic Changes and Cardiovascular Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction: Hemodynamic responses to mental stress (MS) have been associated with adverse CV outcomes. We investigated if hemodynamic responses during laboratory MS testing are predictive of outcomes. Hypothesis: Lower rate pressure product (RPP) changes during MS testing are predictive of adverse CV events. Methods: Patients recruited into the Mental Stress Ischemia Prognosis Study and Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Study 2 studies underwent MS testing with a standardized public speaking stressor and followed for incident CV death, MI rates (primary endpoint) and heart failure hospitalizations (secondary endpoint). Maximum changes in the RPP during MS were calculated. A generalized linear mixed model determined predictors of RPP change, and Prentice, Williams, Peterson model gap time approach was used for analysis of recurrent events after adjustment for demographic and clinical variables. Results: In 919 patients (mean 59.6 years; 65.6% men), the median change in RPP was 5,112 mmHg x beats/minute (IQR, 3,666 - 7,120). Patients with lower RPP changes (<median) during MS were more likely to have a lower resting RPP, be male, and have a history of smoking, obesity, and heart failure. Serum epinephrine levels (22.5 ± 37.3 pg/mL; p<0.001) increased after MS and correlated with RPP changes (r = 0.32; p < 0.001). During a mean follow-up of 4.6 years, there were 135 CV death and MI events (3.2/100 patient-years) and 279 events including HF hospitalizations (6.7 events/100 patient-years). After adjusting for the baseline RPP, demographics, clinical factors, and medication, patients with lower change in RPP during MS had higher primary [HR, 1.7 (95% CI, 1.1 - 2.5); p = 0.009] and secondary events [HR, 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1 - 2.0); p = 0.006]. Conclusions: A reduced change in RPP during MS is independently associated with worse outcomes in patients with CAD. Whether hemodynamic reactivity during MS can be clinically used to identify residual risk needs further evaluation.