J Cardiovasc Ultrasound.  2017 Dec;25(4):118-123. 10.4250/jcu.2017.25.4.118.

Impact of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Therapy on Myocardial Function and Endothelial Dysfunction in Female Patients with Microvascular Angina

• Kim BJ
• Cho IS
• Cho KI

• KMID: 2399412
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4250/jcu.2017.25.4.118

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a structured group program that employs mindfulness meditation to alleviate suffering associated with physical, psychosomatic, and psychiatric disorders. In this study, we investigate the impact of MBSR on left ventricular (LV) and endothelial function in female patients with microvascular angina.
METHODS
A total of 34 female patients (mean age 52.2 ± 13.8 years) diagnosed with microvascular angina underwent a MBSR program with anti-anginal medication for 8 weeks. The global longitudinal strain (GLS) of the LV was used as a parameter to assess myocardial function and reactive brachial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was used to assess endothelial function. Symptoms were analyzed by the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised to determine emotional stress. Changes in GLS and FMD between baseline and post-MBSR were analyzed.
RESULTS
After 8 weeks of programmed MBSR treatment, stress parameters were significantly decreased. In addition, GLS (−19.5 ± 2.1% vs. −16.6 ± 2.5%, p < 0.001) and reactive FMD significantly improved (8.9 ± 3.0% vs. 6.9 ± 2.6%, p = 0.005) after MBSR compared to baseline. The changes in GLS correlated to changes in FMD (r = 0.120, p = 0.340) and with the changes in most stress parameters.
CONCLUSION
MBSR has beneficial impacts on myocardial and endothelial function in female patients with microvascular angina.

Keyword

Mindfulness-based stress reduction; Global longitudinal strain; Flow-mediated dilatation

MeSH Terms

Checklist
Dilatation
Female*
Humans
Meditation
Microvascular Angina*
Mindfulness*
Stress, Psychological

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 In Pearson correlation analysis, the changes in GLS were correlated with the changes in FMD (r = −0.381, p = 0.034). GLS: global longitudinal strain, FMD: flow-mediated dilatation.

• 

  Fig. 2 The change of FMD and GLS after MBSR according to response for MBSR. Responder group showed significant improvement of GLS change than non-responder group (−3.55 ± 2.96% vs. −1.59 ± 2.54%, p = 0.008). But there was no significant difference of FMD change between the groups (2.52 ± 3.07% vs. 1.25 ± 4.61%, p = 0.241) (responder; improvement of GLS ≥ 10% after MBSR, non-responder; improvement of GSI < 10% after MBSR). FMD: flow-mediated dilatation, GLS: global longitudinal strain, MBSR: mindfulness-based stress reduction.

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