Cardiovascular activity and the antibody response to vaccination

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationship between cardiovascular activity in response to acute psychological stress and the antibody response to vaccination. \ud Methods: Fifty-seven healthy participants were vaccinated with the trivalent influenza vaccine and meningococcal A+C polysaccharides. Antibody levels were measured at baseline and 5-weeks post-vaccination. Cardiovascular activity was measured at rest, during and following a mental arithmetic stress task in 54 participants. \ud Results: Participants demonstrating a four-fold increase in antibody titre to the A/Panama and B/Shangdong influenza strains and to meningococcal A showed greater blood pressure reactions toward the end of the acute stress task. In addition, there was some evidence of delayed diastolic blood pressure recovery in those who were responders to A/Panama and B/Shangdong influenza strains. \ud Conclusion: The present results suggest that heightened cardiovascular reactivity to stress and delayed recovery may not necessarily be detrimental to all aspects of health, and may be associated with an enhanced immune response to antigen challenge. \u

Type D personality and hemodynamic reactivity to laboratory stress in women

“…Studies have shown that those who respond best to a vaccination challenge show greater cardiovascular and cortisol reactions to stress (e.g., Phillips et al, 2009), while young adolescents who spent a greater proportion of their lives in poverty show muted CVR to acute stress (Evans and Kim, 2007).…”

The Conjoined Effect of Naturalistic Perceived Available Support and Enacted Support on Cardiovascular Reactivity During a Laboratory Stressor

“…Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that HR reactivity to a laboratory challenge is inversely related to carotid intima-media thickness, indicating lower risk for atherosclerosis in high-HRreactive individuals [e.g., 73,74]. Even more, recent research has suggested that elevated cardiovascular stress reactivity is related to better self-reported health [75,76] and could increase immunocompetence [77]. Thus, several lines of evidence converge to suggest that elevated cardiac reactivity together with better blood pressure recovery as found for naturalistically supported individuals may not indicate increased disease risk, but rather an adaptive response leading ultimately to better health.…”

Type D personality and hemodynamic reactivity to laboratory stress in women

“…Individuals who typically react with increases in TPR that are not offset by decreases in CO may be at risk due to atherosclerotic changes arising from repeated or prolonged periods of increased vascular resistance (Gregg et al, 2002 There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that blunted, rather than exaggerated, physiological reactivity is associated with a range of health outcomes such as depression and obesity (Carroll et al, 2007;York et al, 2007;Carroll et al, 2008). Studies have shown that those who respond best to a vaccination challenge show greater cardiovascular and cortisol reactions to stress (e.g., Phillips et al, 2009), while young adolescents who spent a greater proportion of their lives in poverty show muted CVR to acute stress (Evans and Kim, 2007).…”