Mental Stress-induced Platelet Activation and Increases in C-reactive Protein Concentration in Coronary Artery Disease

摘要

Stress and other psychosocial factors influence the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). We tested the hypotheses that plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) would increase in response to acute mental stress, and that CAD patients would have larger or more prolonged increases in platelet activation in response to stress than healthy controls. 17 CAD patients were compared with 22 age-matched controls on responses to standardized mental stress tests. Acute mental stress induced small but significant increases in CRP concentration. Platelet activation increased a similar amount in patients and controls, but was prolonged for a longer period post-stress in CAD patients. The rise in platelet activation correlated with stress-induced increases in CRP in patients but not controls. We conclude that inflammatory responses and platelet activation may be pathways through which psychological stress affects the development of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes.