Stress linked to increased risk of Stroke and Death from stroke

Image source: Evil Erin - cc 

                                                                                                                  
Stress is the unpleasant feeling that we experience from time to time, some of us more frequently than others. It is also known to be linked to several medical conditions.


Everson-Rose and coauthors have published a study in Stroke Journals (American Heart Association Journals) December 13 2012 demonstrating association between stress and stroke:

• Longitudinal population-based study, in 3 contiguous neighborhoods south side of Chicago.
• 65 years or older. Black and white adults.
• Baseline interview 1993-1996
• medical history, socioeconomic status, behavioral patterns, cognitive health,and psychosocial characteristics
• 3 yearly follow up interviews
• Distress measured by:
• Depressive symptoms (Center of Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale 10 items)
• Perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale 6 Item)
• Neuroticism (NEO Five-Factor Inventory 4 items)
• Life dissatisfaction (reverse coded Life Satisfaction Scale)
• 4120 participants - average age 77yo. Mostly black and female

RESULTS:

• Higher distress score associated with 47% increased risk of dying from a stroke (HR 1.29; P = 0.0018)
• With distress modeled categorically and adjusting for age, race, and sex, participants in the:
• Highest quartile had nearly 3 times (HR=2.97; 95% CI=1.81–4.88; P<0.0001) greater risk of dying from stroke relative to those with the lowest distress scores
• Third quartile had nearly 2 times (HR=1.98; 95% CI=1.19–3.30; P=0.0091) greater risk of dying from stroke relative to those with the lowest distress scores
• This is true for hemorrhagic stroke, not ischemic stroke
• Each of the 4 individual factors of the psychosocial distress score were associated with increased risk for stroke death
• Depressive symptoms: HR 1.63 (P=0.0003)
• Neuroticism: HR 1.30 (P<0.10)
• Life satisfaction: HR 1.52 (P<0.01)
• Perceived stress:  HR 1.74 (P<0.001) 

*HR = Hazard Ratio


Hence for adults aged 65 years or older, having increased level of psychosocial distress (as measured by scoring higher on the above 4 measurement scales) is associated with higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the head) and death from these stroke events.

Summary: In adults 65 years or older, stress is associated with higher risk of stroke, and death from stroke.