Attenuated cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress predicts future fatigue symptoms in truck drivers

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of a 6-month health intervention on truck drivers’ CVR to stress and whether CVR was predictive of depression, anxiety, or fatigue symptoms at 6-months follow-up.

Methods: 238 truck drivers completed a 6-month cluster RCT to increase physical activity and completed a stress protocol (Stroop and Mirror tracing tasks) with measurements of heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP), and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure taken, alongside fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms assessment. Measures were taken at 0-months and 6-months.

Results: Analyses showed a negative relationship between 0-month DBP reactivity and 6-month persistent fatigue. Trends towards negative relationships between SBP reactivity and future anxiety and fatigue symptoms at 6-months were evident.

Conclusions: Our findings may have serious implications, as fatigue can be a major cause of road traffic collisions in truck drivers.