Hostility differentially predicts cardiovascular risk factors in African American and White young adults

Abstract

Objective Hostility may influence racial disparities in cardiovascular disease through differential associations with cardiovascular risk factors. This study explored racial variations in relations between hostility and selected cardiovascular risk factors. Methods Cook–Medley Hostility (Ho) scores and 11 risk factors were examined among 66 healthy, White and African American young adults. Results Controlling for age, gender, and body mass index, the interaction of hostility and race yielded significant (or marginal) associations with resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), cardiac index (CI; i.e. cardiac output adjusted for body size), total peripheral resistance (TPR), insulin (INS), triglycerides (TG) and percent body fat (PBF). Contributing substantial variance, hostility was positively associated with SBP, DBP, TPR, TG and INS, and negatively associated with CI among African Americans. Conversely, hostility was negatively associated with TPR and PBF among Whites. Conclusion Hostility may confer greater cardiovascular risk among young African Americans than Whites.