Heart period and QT variability, hostility, and type-A behavior in normal controls and patients with panic disorder

Abstract

Objectives: Excess cardiovascular morbidity has been reported in association with phobic anxiety as well as in association with hostility and type-A behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the measures of hostility and type-A behavior, and heart period (HP) and QT variability in normal controls and patients with panic disorder. Methods: Data were obtained from Holter ECG records for HP and heart rate (HR) and QT variability measures were obtained from 5 min laboratory ECG records in normal controls ( n=21) and patients with panic disorder ( n=27). Results: Patients with panic disorder were significantly more hostile, and had significantly higher scores on Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) speed and impatience subscale (S scale). Hostility did not correlate with either HP variability or QT variability. Higher type-A scores were associated with higher low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) powers of HP variability and standing QT variability was associated inversely with type-A and S scores of the JAS in patients with panic disorder. Conclusions: Our results do not support the hypothesis that higher hostility and higher type-A scores are associated with decreased cardiac vagal function.