Components of type A, hostility, and anger-in: further relationships to angiographic findings.

In a previous study of patients undergoing angiography at Duke University Medical Center, we reported that of all components of the Type A behavior pattern (TABP), only Potential for Hostility and Anger-In were significantly associated with extent of coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study was undertaken to replicate these findings using a different patient population. Tape-recorded structured interviews from 125 angiography patients at Massachusetts General Hospital were blind scored using the component scoring system employed in the Duke study. The results confirmed our previous findings. Global TABP was completely unrelated to extent of CAD, while Potential for Hostility and Anger-In were significant independent predictors of disease severity. These findings argue for a reconceptualization of the manner in which the TABP is defined and assessed.