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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

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01-11-2013 | Original Article

Depressive symptoms and carotid artery intima-media thickness in police officers

Authors: John M. Violanti, Luenda E. Charles, Ja K. Gu, Cecil M. Burchfiel, Michael E. Andrew, P. Nedra Joseph, Joan M. Dorn

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 8/2013

Abstract

Purpose

Police work is a stressful occupation. Depressive symptoms, which may occur as a result of exposure to stressors in police work, have been known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between depressive symptoms and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) among police officers.

Methods

CIMT was measured with B-mode carotid ultrasonography. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Analyses of variance and covariance were utilized to examine the mean values of common CIMT (CCA IMT) and maximum CIMT (MMXIMT) across quintiles of depressive symptoms.

Results

Participants included 412 officers (mean age = 41 years). Hypertension status significantly modified the association between CES-D score and CIMT. The association between CES-D score and CCA IMT was statistically significant (adjusted P = 0.030) but only among officers without hypertension. The associations between CES-D score and MMXIMT were not significant among officers with or without hypertension. Our results also showed that among officers who reported poor sleep quality, mean levels of CCA IMT, and MMXIMT tended to increase as depressive symptoms increased.

Conclusions

Depressive symptoms may be therefore be independently associated with CIMT, yet masked by hypertension. Even though sleep quality did not significantly modify the main association, our results also suggest that poor sleep quality may act synergistically with depressive symptoms to increase CIMT. Future prospective work would help to clarify these associations.

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Title: Depressive symptoms and carotid artery intima-media thickness in police officers
Authors: John M. Violanti
Luenda E. Charles
Ja K. Gu
Cecil M. Burchfiel
Michael E. Andrew
P. Nedra Joseph
Joan M. Dorn
Publication date: 01-11-2013
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 8/2013
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0829-6

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Depressive symptoms and carotid artery intima-media thickness in police officers

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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