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(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2007;27:1638.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Atherosclerosis and Lipoproteins

Type A Eagerness-Energy Across Developmental Periods Predicts Adulthood Carotid Intima-Media Thickness

The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen; Taina Hintsa; Mika Kivimäki; Sampsa Puttonen; Markus Juonala; Jorma S.A. Viikari; Olli T. Raitakari

From the Department of Psychology (L.K.-J., T.H., S.P.), University of Helsinki, Finland; the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (M.K.), University College London, UK; and The Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (M.J.) and the Departments of Medicine (J.S.A.V.) and Clinical Physiology (O.T.R.), University of Turku, Finland.

Correspondence to Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen, Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. E-mail Liisa.Keltikangas-Jarvinen{at}helsinki.fi

Objective— We examined the Type A behavior across developmental periods as a predictor of adult carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT).

Methods and Results— In this prospective cohort study of 408 men and 606 women, socioeconomic background and biological risk factors of participants were assessed at baseline at age 6 to 18 years of age, Type A behavior (Hunter-Wolf A-B Rating Scale) at the 6-, 9-, and 21-year follow-ups (subjects being 12 to 24, 15 to 27, and 27 to 39 years, respectively), and carotid IMT, adulthood socioeconomic situation, and biological risk factors at the 21-year follow-up when participants were at age 27 to 39 years of age. In men, the eagerness-energy component of Type A behavior, measured at any time point, was associated with thicker carotid IMT (P<0.008, P<0.04, P<0.03, and P<0.02 for the first, second, and third assessment, and for the average score, respectively), and this association was independent of early and adult risk factors. In women, the hard-driving component at baseline (P<0.04) but not later was independently related to thinner carotid IMT. The other components of Type A behavior (impatience-aggression and leadership) were not associated with IMT.

Conclusions— Eagerness-energy component of Type A behavior over different developmental transitions seems to be a robust predictor of IMT in men.

Type A behavior as a predictor of adult carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) was examined in a population-based sample of 408 men and 606 women. It was shown that eagerness-energy component of Type A behavior over different developmental transitions seems to be a robust predictor of IMT in men.

Key Words: atherosclerosis • carotid arteries • coronary artery disease • type A • eagerness-energy

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