The Contribution of Stress Level in Modifying the Cardiometabolic Risk in a Population Cohort from North-East Romania

The cardiometabolic risk is used to assess the probability of developing a cardiovascular disease in association with diabetes. The research of stress factor represents a breakthrough in assessing this risk. The study aim was to evaluate the importance of cardiometabolic risk measurement instruments in the context of psycho-behavioral factors expressed by individual stress level. The cross-sectional study consisted of applying a PSL assessment questionnaire to a group of 254 individuals. Quantification of the PSL was achieved by a previously validated standardized questionnaire (PSS Scale). The research involved completing the questionnaire and corroborating clinical and paraclinical data (LDL-cholesterol, glycemia, glycosylatedhemoglobin - HbAlc). Data were analyzed using the SPSS V.21 software (IBM). The calculation of global cardiovascular risk score (SCORE) highlighted that 75% of cases presented a risk for a cardiovascular event over the next 10 years of lower than 3 (30%). Fasting glycemia values showed significant differences compared to glycosylated hemoglobin values (t(value )= 8.68, p<<0.01, 95% CI). It is noted the absence of significant differences between the calculated mean value and the normal LDL maximum threshold (t(value) = 0.96, p = 0.336). Mean values of females perceived stress score (M-PSS/female = 20.9 +/- 6.43SD) are significantly higher (F = 30.7, p <0.05, 95% CI) versus males (M-PSS/male = 16.5 +/- 5 .925D), but there is no correlation between patient's age and perceived stress score (r = 0.028, p = 0.651, 95% CI). Correlation of socio-economic factors with PSL reveals that low educational level (r = -0.203, p = 0.001) and low income (r = -0.204, p = 0.001) significantly increase the PSL. The results indicate that there is no correlation between perceived stress score and cardiovascular risk score (r = -0.0936, p = 0.137, 95% CI). Aspects revealed by study results highlight the need for monitoring stress factor in actions of clinical management in patients at high cardiometabolic risk.