TY - JOUR
T1 - Sleep efficiency and PTSD symptom severity predict microvascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness in young, trauma-exposed women
AU - Tahsin, Chowdhury Tasnova
AU - Michopoulos, Vasiliki
AU - Powers, Abigail
AU - Park, Jeanie
AU - Ahmed, Zynab
AU - Cullen, Kathryn
AU - Jenkins, Nathaniel D.M.
AU - Keller-Ross, Manda
AU - Fonkoue, Ida T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Physiological Society. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to sleep disturbances and significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, vascular dysfunction and sleep are independently associated with CVD. Uncovering the link between PTSD symptom severity, sleep disturbances, and vascular function could shine a light on mechanisms of CVD risk in trauma-exposed young women. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of sleep efficiency and PTSD symptom severity on vascular function. We recruited 60 otherwise healthy women [age, 26±7 yr and body mass index (BMI), 27.7±6.5 kg/m2] who had been exposed to trauma. We objectively quantified sleep efficiency (SE) using actigraphy, microvascular endothelial function via Framingham reactive hyperemia index (fRHI), and arterial stiffness via pulse-wave velocity (PWV). PTSD symptom severity was assessed using the PTSD checklist for fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (PCL5). PWV was correlated with age (r ¼ 0.490, P < 0.001) and BMI (r ¼ 0.484, P < 0.001). In addition, fRHI was positively correlated with SE (r ¼ 0.409, P ¼ 0.001) and negatively correlated with PTSD symptoms (r ¼ -0.382, P ¼ 0.002). To explore the predictive value of SE and PTSD symptoms on PWV and fRHI, we conducted two multivariate linear regression models. The model predicting PWV was significant (R2 ¼ 0.584, P < 0.001) with age, BMI, blood pressure, and SE emerging as predictors. Likewise, the model predicting fRHI was significant (R2 ¼ 0.360, P < 0.001) with both PTSD symptoms and SE as significant predictors. Our results suggest that although PTSD symptoms mainly impact microvascular endothelial function, sleep efficiency is additionally associated with arterial stiffness in young trauma-exposed women, after controlling for age and BMI.
AB - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to sleep disturbances and significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, vascular dysfunction and sleep are independently associated with CVD. Uncovering the link between PTSD symptom severity, sleep disturbances, and vascular function could shine a light on mechanisms of CVD risk in trauma-exposed young women. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of sleep efficiency and PTSD symptom severity on vascular function. We recruited 60 otherwise healthy women [age, 26±7 yr and body mass index (BMI), 27.7±6.5 kg/m2] who had been exposed to trauma. We objectively quantified sleep efficiency (SE) using actigraphy, microvascular endothelial function via Framingham reactive hyperemia index (fRHI), and arterial stiffness via pulse-wave velocity (PWV). PTSD symptom severity was assessed using the PTSD checklist for fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (PCL5). PWV was correlated with age (r ¼ 0.490, P < 0.001) and BMI (r ¼ 0.484, P < 0.001). In addition, fRHI was positively correlated with SE (r ¼ 0.409, P ¼ 0.001) and negatively correlated with PTSD symptoms (r ¼ -0.382, P ¼ 0.002). To explore the predictive value of SE and PTSD symptoms on PWV and fRHI, we conducted two multivariate linear regression models. The model predicting PWV was significant (R2 ¼ 0.584, P < 0.001) with age, BMI, blood pressure, and SE emerging as predictors. Likewise, the model predicting fRHI was significant (R2 ¼ 0.360, P < 0.001) with both PTSD symptoms and SE as significant predictors. Our results suggest that although PTSD symptoms mainly impact microvascular endothelial function, sleep efficiency is additionally associated with arterial stiffness in young trauma-exposed women, after controlling for age and BMI.
KW - PTSD
KW - premenopausal women
KW - sleep
KW - trauma
KW - vascular function
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U2 - 10.1152/ajpheart.00169.2023
DO - 10.1152/ajpheart.00169.2023
M3 - Article
C2 - 37505472
AN - SCOPUS:85169180348
SN - 0193-1849
VL - 325
SP - H739-H750
JO - American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism
IS - 4
ER -