Table 2 The links between cortisol response to Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in 6 phases and sociodemographic and clinical factors as well as mental distress, fatigue and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in study patients (n = 98).
Preparation time (n = 98) (Cortisol response, T2–T1, Δnmol/l) | Public Speech (n = 94) (Cortisol response, T3–T1, Δnmol/l) | Arithmetic task (n = 72) (Cortisol response, T4–T1, Δnmol/l) | Recovery time (n = 72) (Cortisol response, T5–T1, Δnmol/l) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics | ||||
Sex | 0.050 (0.625) | − 0.050 (0.633) | 0.016 (0.895) | 0.053 (0.657) |
Age | 0.061 (0.551) | − 0.063 (0.544) | − 0.212 (0.074) | 0.098 (0.414) |
Body mass index | 0.042 (0.683) | 0.021 (0.838) | 0.097 (0.419) | − 0.120 (0.316) |
Education | − 0.116 (0.254) | 0.096 (0.358) | − 0.016 (0.894) | − 0.012 (0.992) |
NYHA functional class | − 0.094 (0.358) | − 0.138 (0.185) | − 0.108 (0.365) | − 0.039 (0.747) |
Arterial hypertension | − 0.030 (0.770) | 0.091 (0.385) | 0.035 (0.769) | − 0.085 (0.479) |
Smoking history | 0.065 (0.524) | − 0.029 (0.782) | − 0.004 (0.972) | − 0.166 (0.162) |
Medication use | ||||
Nitrates | − 0.107 (0.295) | − 0.104 (0.318) | 0.039 (0.746) | 0.198 (0.096) |
ACE inhibitors | 0.060 (0.559) | 0.060 (0.563) | 0.106 (0.375) | 0.088 (0.462) |
Diuretics | − 0.013 (0.897) | − 0.101 (0.331) | − 0.048 (0.691) | − 0.082 (0.492) |
Beta-blockers | − 0.121 (0.236) | 0.212 (0.041) | 0.344 (0.003) | 0.302 (0.010) |
Benzodiazepines | − 0.037 (0.714) | − 0.070 (0.504) | 0.050 (0.676) | 0.226 (0.056) |
Mental distress, HADS | ||||
Depressive symptoms, HADS-D | − 0.148 (0.146) | − 0.109 (0.295) | − 0.071 (0.554) | − 0.136 (0.255) |
Anxiety symptoms, HADS-A | − 0.134 (0.187) | − 0.296 (0.004) | − 0.152 (0.202) | − 0.131 (0.274) |
State anxiety, STAI-S | − 0.041 (0.692) | − 0.135 (0.051) | − 0.000 (0.997) | − 0.038 (0.751) |
Trait anxiety, STAI-T | 0.028 (0.787) | 0.001 (0.996) | 0.017 (0.890) | 0.056 (0.643) |
Presence of Type D personality, DS14 | − 0.290 (0.004) | − 0.143 (0.168) | − 0.145 (0.224) | − 0.165 (0.166) |
Fatigue, MFI-20 | ||||
Global fatigue | − 0.011 (0.912) | − 0.009 (0.932) | − 0.028 (0.818) | − 0.081 (0.497) |
Physical fatigue | − 0.037 (0.718) | − 0.183 (0.077) | − 0.134 (0.263) | − 0.125 (0.296) |
Activity reduction | − 0.109 (0.284) | − 0.169 (0.104) | − 0.154 (0.195) | − 0.146 (0.221) |
Motivation reduction | − 0.084 (0.411) | − 0.035 (0.738) | − 0.068 (0.573) | − 0.027 (0.821) |
Mental fatigue | − 0.016 (0.879) | 0.003 (0.979) | − 0.084 (0.482) | − 0.147 (0.219) |
Total fatigue score | − 0.061 (0.550) | − 0.102 (0.326) | − 0.115 (0.338) | − 0.128 (0.283) |
Health related Quality of Life (HRQoL), SF-36 | ||||
Physical functioning | 0.154 (0.131) | 0.152 (0.143) | 0.066 (0.582) | 0.106 (0.373) |
Role limitation due to physical problems | − 0.086 (0.402) | − 0.075 (0.471) | − 0.149 (0.212) | − 0.062 (0.607) |
Role limitation due to emotional problems | − 0.070 (0.495) | 0.152 (0.145) | 0.051 (0.672) | 0.051 (0.670) |
Social functioning | − 0.061 (0.548) | 0.027 (0.797) | − 0.116 (0.330) | − 0.028 (0.815) |
Mental health | − 0.140 (0.168) | 0.189 (0.068) | 0.068 (0.568) | 0.105 (0.379) |
Vitality | − 0.106 (0.298) | 0.234 (0.023) | 0.103 (0.389) | 0.129 (0.282) |
Pain | − 0.125 (0.220) | 0.140 (0.177) | 0.092 (0.441) | 0.183 (0.124) |
General health perception | 0.019 (0.850) | 0.207 (0.046) | 0.015 (0.900) | − 0.0210 (0.863) |
Perceived difficulty (VAS) | − 0.112 (0.287) | 0.014 (0.899) | − 0.154 (0.211) | − 0.008 (0.949) |
Perceived efforts (VAS) | 0.066 (0.532) | 0.005 (0.960) | − 0.085 (0.493) | 0.214 (0.080) |
