Depression and cardiovascular disease: healing the broken-hearted

Bidirectional associations between mental disorders, antidepressants and cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND

Mental disorders have a high comorbidity with cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the causality between them has not been fully appreciated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically explore the bidirectional causality between the two broad categories of diseases.

METHODS

We conducted Mendelian randomisation (MR) and multivariable MR (MVMR) analyses to evaluate potential causal links between 10 mental disorders, the use of antidepressants and 7 CVDs.

FINDINGS

We discovered that major depressive disorder (MDD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and insomnia exhibit connections with elevated risks of two or more CVDs. Moreover, the use of antidepressants is linked to heightened risks of each CVD. Each distinct CVD is correlated with a greater probability of taking antidepressants. Our MVMR analysis demonstrated that the use of antidepressants is correlated with the elevation of respective risks across all cardiovascular conditions. This includes arrhythmias (OR: 1.28), atrial fibrillation (OR: 1.44), coronary artery disease (OR: 1.16), hypertension (OR: 1.16), heart failure (OR: 1.16), stroke (OR: 1.44) and entire CVD group (OR: 1.35). However, MDD itself was not linked to a heightened risk of any CVD.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of our study indicate that MDD, insomnia and ADHD may increase the risk of CVD. Our findings highlight the utilisation of antidepressants as an independent risk factor for CVD, thus explaining the influence of MDD on CVD through the mediating effects of antidepressants.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

When treating patients with antidepressants, it is necessary to take into consideration the potential beneficial and detrimental effects of antidepressants.

Disparities in Guideline Concordant Statin Treatment in Individuals With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Rationale

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects the prognosis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Black women with COPD have a disproportionate risk of CVD-related mortality, yet disparities in CVD prevention in COPD are unknown.

Objectives

We aimed to identify race-sex differences in the receipt of statin treatment for CVD prevention, and whether these differences were explained by factors influencing health care utilization in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) COPD study sub-cohort.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among REGARDS Medicare beneficiaries with COPD. Our primary outcome was the presence of statin on in-home pill bottle review among individuals with an indication. Prevalence ratios (PR) for statin treatment among race-sex groups compared to White men were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance. We then adjusted for covariates previously shown to impact health care utilization.

Results

Of the 2032 members within the COPD sub-cohort with sufficient data, 1435 participants (19% Black women, 14% Black men, 28% White women, and 39% White men) had a statin indication. All race-sex groups were less likely to receive statins than White men in unadjusted models. After adjusting for covariates that influence health care utilization, Black women (PR 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67 to 0.86) and White women (PR 0.84 95% CI 0.76 to 0.91) remained less likely to be treated compared to White men.

Conclusions

All race-sex groups were less likely to receive statin treatment in the REGARDS COPD sub-cohort compared to White men. This difference persisted in women after controlling for individual health care utilization factors, suggesting structural interventions are needed.

Depression and associated factors among Brazilian adults: the 2019 national healthcare population-based study

BACKGROUND

Mental disorders represent a major public health challenge worldwide, affecting 80% of people living in low- and middle-income countries. Depression, a mental disorder, is a chronic disease of long duration that causes changes in the brain, resulting from a combination of genetic, physiologic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The aim of this study was to investigate possible factors associated with depression in Brazilian adults.

METHODS

A population-based, cross-sectional study was carried out using the public domain database of the 2019 National Health Survey, conducted in Brazil. Depression was considered the dependent variable, and through hierarchical analysis, predictor variables were investigated such as, at the distal level-socioeconomic variables, at the intermediate level-variables related to lifestyle behavior, health condition, and history, and at the proximal level-demographic variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain the adjusted Odds Ratio and the respective 95% confidence interval to identify possible factors associated with depression.

RESULTS

The study included 88,531 participant records with 10.27% diagnosed with depression. The adjusted association measurements, after selecting the independent variables in the hierarchical analysis, showed the following factors associated with depression with differing magnitudes: age, brown and white race/skin color, female sex, poor, very poor, or regular self-reported health condition, diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, work-related musculoskeletal disorder, history of smoking habit, and macroeconomic region.

CONCLUSIONS

An effective strategy for preventing and managing depression in Brazilian adults must include the control of health status and lifestyle behavior factors, with actions and programs to reduce people's exposure to these factors, understanding that socioeconomic-demographic differences of each population can potentially reduce the disease burden.

Comparison of the incidence of depression before and after endovascular treatment in patients with lower limb peripheral artery disease

Depression is a chronic illness that affects mood, physical health, and overall vitality and quality of life. Depression has been associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Therefore, this study aimed to compare the incidence of depression before and after endovascular treatment in patients with lower limb PAD. This is an important clinical issue considering the worldwide increase in PAD with the aging population and the known negative impact of depression on recovery. This was a retrospective sub-analysis of data from the Tokyo Peripheral Vascular Intervention Study using the TOMA-CODE registry. The presence and extent of depressive symptoms were evaluated using the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), with a depressive tendency score of ≥ 5. The PHQ-9 score was evaluated before endovascular treatment (EVT) and at 4 (± 1) weeks after EVT. The study population consisted of 87 patients who completed the PHQ-9 before EVT, with 76 completing the post-EVT PHQ-9. Of these 76, 19 had a pre-EVT score ≥ 5. Overall, there was no difference in the pre- and post-EVT scores (P = 0.091). There was no significant change in the 19 patients with a pre-EVT score ≥ 5 (mean 9.2 ± 4.4); however, there was a tendency to improve in the pre- to post-EVT score (mean, 6.9 ± 5.2; P = 0.059). Diabetes was a significant negative factor for pre- to post-EVT score improvement (P = 0.023). Overall, symptoms of depression showed the tendency to improve at 30 days post-EVT. However, diabetes was associated with lower improvement in symptoms.

Depression and cardiovascular diseases

Depression is a well-known risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of depression in patients with cardiovascular diseases has been reported to be approximately 20 %. A two-step depression screening protocol using the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is recommended for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases and depression share a common pathology, including increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and inflammation. Psychosocial and environmental factors are also associated with depression and cardiovascular outcomes. Randomized controlled trials of antidepressant treatment for patients with depression and cardiovascular diseases have shown no advantage regarding cardiovascular outcomes. However, improvement in depressive symptoms, regardless of the method, may lead to a reduction in subsequent cardiovascular events. A collaborative approach between cardiologists and psychiatrists is recommended to manage depression in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Future research should identify more specific targets for treating patients with cardiovascular diseases, involve collaboration with professionals across fields, and establish community support systems.

Use of the Functional Evaluation of Cardiac Health questionnaire to assess health-related quality of life before and after mitral valve repair in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

OBJECTIVE

To determine changes in health-related quality of life up to 12 months after surgery in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease that undergo mitral valve repair.

ANIMALS

54 dogs that underwent mitral valve repair at a United Kingdom referral hospital.

PROCEDURES

Health-related quality of life was assessed with a previously validated, owner-completed questionnaire before and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

Results

There was a significant decrease in total score (corresponding to reduced negative impact of cardiac disease on quality of life) between the preoperative timepoint and all postoperative timepoints. A significant decrease in total score was also demonstrated between the 1- and 3-month timepoints, but no additional significant changes in total score between adjacent timepoints were identified beyond 3 months after surgery. Significant improvements in individual question scores were found up to 12 months after surgery.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Health-related quality of life was significantly improved following mitral valve repair in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease and this improvement persisted for up to a year after surgery. These results may be useful when counseling owners of dogs considered candidates for this procedure.

A web-based novel prediction model for predicting depression in elderly patients with coronary heart disease: A multicenter retrospective, propensity-score matched study

BACKGROUND

Depression is associated with an increased risk of death in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aimed to explore the factors influencing depression in elderly patients with CHD and to construct a prediction model for early identification of depression in this patient population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used propensity-score matching to identify 1,065 CHD patients aged ≥65 years from four hospitals in Chongqing between January 2015 and December 2021. The patients were divided into a training set (n = 880) and an external validation set (n = 185). Univariate logistic regression, multivariate logistic regression, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to determine the factors influencing depression. A nomogram based on the multivariate logistic regression model was constructed using the selected influencing factors. The discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility of the nomogram were assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC), respectively.

RESULTS

The predictive factors in the multivariate model included the lymphocyte percentage and the blood urea nitrogen and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The AUC values of the nomogram in the training and external validation sets were 0.762 (95% CI = 0.722-0.803) and 0.679 (95% CI = 0.572-0.786), respectively. The calibration curves indicated that the nomogram had strong calibration. DCA and CIC indicated that the nomogram can be used as an effective tool in clinical practice. For the convenience of clinicians, we used the nomogram to develop a web-based calculator tool (https://cytjt007.shinyapps.io/dynnomapp_depression/).

CONCLUSION

Reductions in the lymphocyte percentage and blood urea nitrogen and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were reliable predictors of depression in elderly patients with CHD. The nomogram that we developed can help clinicians assess the risk of depression in elderly patients with CHD.

mHealth impact on secondary stroke prevention: a scoping review of randomized controlled trials among stroke survivors between 2010-2020

BACKGROUND

A fundamental gap between clinical prevention and self-management awareness heightens the risk for stroke recurrence in approximately one-fourth of the highest risk stroke survivors annually. Secondary stroke prevention has the potential to be promoted by mobile health (mHealth) applications for effective real-world adoption of vascular risk factor mitigation. This scoping review aims to evaluate the impact of mHealth interventions and their effectiveness to reduce recurrent stroke rates among stroke survivors in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

Scoping review in Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Scopus for RCT literature employing mHealth among stroke populations published in English from 2010 to November 19, 2020. Small or pilot studies that included randomized design were included.

RESULTS

A total of 352 abstracts met inclusion criteria; 31 full-text articles were assessed and 18 unique RCTs involving 1,453 patients ultimately fulfilled criteria. Twelve of 18 met the pre-defined primary outcome measure, including 2 studies evaluating feasibility. Eight of 18 only addressed recovery from index stroke deficits. Most outcomes focused on self-reported functional status, mood, quality of life or compliance with intervention; primary outcome was an objective metric in 4/18 (blood pressure readings, step number, obstructive sleep apnea support compliance). Intervention duration 2-12 months, with a median 9 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

No high-quality evidence supporting mHealth applications to reduce recurrent stroke was found in this scoping review. Overall, most studies were relatively small, heterogenous, and employed subjective primary outcome measures. mHealth's potential as an effective tool for stroke stakeholders to reduce recurrent stroke rates has not been sufficiently demonstrated in this review. Future randomized studies are needed that explicitly evaluate stroke recurrence rate.

Inflammation and depression in young people: a systematic review and proposed inflammatory pathways

Depression onset peaks during adolescence and young adulthood. Current treatments are only moderately effective, driving the search for novel pathophysiological mechanisms underlying youth depression. Inflammatory dysregulation has been shown in adults with depression, however, less is known about inflammation in youth depression. This systematic review identified 109 studies examining the association between inflammation and youth depression and showed subtle evidence for inflammatory dysregulation in youth depression. Longitudinal studies support the bidirectional association between inflammation and depression in youth. We hypothesise multiple inflammatory pathways contributing to depression. More research is needed on anti-inflammatory treatments, potentially tailored to individual symptom profiles.

Psychobiology of Stress and Adolescent Depression (PSY SAD) Study: Protocol overview for an fMRI-based multi-method investigation

Depression is a common, often recurrent disorder that causes substantial disease burden worldwide, and this is especially true for women following the pubertal transition. According to the Social Signal Transduction Theory of Depression, stressors involving social stress and rejection, which frequently precipitate major depressive episodes, induce depressive symptoms in vulnerable individuals in part by altering the activity and connectivity of stress-related neural pathways, and by upregulating components of the immune system involved in inflammation. To test this theory, we recruited adolescent females at high and low risk for depression and assessed their psychological, neural, inflammatory, and genomic responses to a brief (10 minute) social stress task, in addition to trait psychological and microbial factors affecting these responses. We then followed these adolescents longitudinally to investigate how their multi-level stress responses at baseline were related to their biological aging at baseline, and psychosocial and clinical functioning over one year. In this protocol paper, we describe the theoretical motivations for conducting this study as well as the sample, study design, procedures, and measures. Ultimately, our aim is to elucidate how social adversity influences the brain and immune system to cause depression, one of the most common and costly of all disorders.

Arterial stiffness in underweight and weight-restored anorexia nervosa

Cardiovascular complications have been demonstrated in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) in both the state of starvation and during weight restoration, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The current study aimed to assess arterial stiffness via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) in the acute and weight-restored states of AN. The study also aimed to determine the association between psychological distress and cfPWV. The sample included 37 participants; 10 participants with AN, 17 who were weight-restored (AN-WR; minimum body mass index >18.5 for at least 12 months) and 10 healthy controls (HCs). cfPWV via applanation tonometry was conducted to assess arterial stiffness. Psychological distress was assessed using the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21) and the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI). Between-group comparisons were performed to determine differences between groups, a two-stage hierarchical regression model was performed to determine the contribution of physiological and psychological variables on cfPWV and correlation analyses were also performed. Vascular stiffness was significantly increased in the AN and AN-WR groups, relative to HCs. The total DASS score was the only significant predictor of cfPWV across the sample. There were positive associations between cfPWV and depression, anxiety and stress, as assessed by the DASS. Furthermore, cfPWV was positively associated with STAI trait anxiety. Arterial stiffness was increased in individuals in the acute and weight-restored states of AN, demonstrating early signs of the development of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Increased arterial stiffness was associated with increased psychological distress, which may be a contributing mechanism to the increased cardiovascular risk in AN.

The efficacy and acceptability of curcumin for the treatment of depression or depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Curcumin, a potential natural substance is a promising complementary and alternative therapeutic intervention for depression or depressive symptoms. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from the inception up until March 4, 2020. The Outcomes were depressive symptoms, response rates, drop-out rates, and adverse effects.

RESULTS

A total of 594 patients from ten trials were subjected to meta-analysis. Three trials were judged to be at high risk of bias, four at unclear risk of bias and three at low risk of bias. Most of the domains for risk of bias were at low risk or unclear risks and three domains at high risks. The pooling results suggested a significant difference in depression or depressive symptoms(SMD= -0.32, 95% CI: -0.50 to -0.13, I²=15%, n=594) and response rates (OR=3.20, 95% CI: 1.28-7.99, I²=35%, n=271). However, there was no difference between drop-out rates (OR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.58-1.93, I²=0%, n=594), digestive symptoms (OR=1.27, 95% CI: 0.69-2.32, I²=0%, n=284) and neurological symptoms (OR=1.08, 95% CI: 0.49-2.36, I²=0%, n=284). Subgroup analysis showed depression was associated with a reduction(SMD= -0.35, 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.15, I²=7%, n=432) but depressive symptoms were not (SMD= -0.17, 95% CI: -0.61 to 0.26, I²=40%, n=162).

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence quality is low, indicating that there is great uncertainty about the efficacy and acceptability of curcumin for the treatment of depression or depressive symptoms.

Depression and the risk of adverse outcomes at 5 years in patients with coronary heart disease

Background

Cardiovascular diseases are a public health concern worldwide, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Depression is a frequent comorbidity in coronary heart disease (CHD). It can be caused by the experience of suffering from heart disease, but it can also influence the prognosis of the CHD. The prevalence of depression in patients with cardiovascular disease is twice as high as that in the general population.

Aim

Assess the influence of depression in the prognosis at 5 years in patients with CHD.

Methods

145 patients diagnosed with CHD were recruited between September 2013 and June 2015. Depression was assessed based on the PHQ-9 results at the time of hospitalization and 3 months after discharged. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected. A 5-year follow-up was carried out to verify death, reinfarction or any adverse outcome.

Results

20% of the study population had depression at hospital admission compared with 11% at 3 months. Depression at 3 months after discharged was a differentiating factor to present complications (42.6 months, CI 95% 27.3–57.9) compared with patients without depression (55 months, CI 95%, 50.9–59.1) (Log-Rank p = 0.034). In the unadjusted model, the risk of heart complications increased with patients that have comorbidities, such as diabetes (HR 2.78, 95% CI 1.21–6.3) or hypothyroidism (HR 2.5 95% CI 1.09–5.7). Also, patients with post-hospitalization depression at 3 months were 3 times (95% CI 1.023–8.8) more likely to have complications during the follow-up period than nondepressed patients. After risk factor adjustment, the HR for depression was 2.01 (95% CI 0.57–6.9).

Findings

Patients with depression at 3 months following the coronary event, presented complications sooner than those without depression.

Bidirectional Associations Between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: Potential Causal Relationships

There are inconsistent findings in the literature about the directionality and magnitude of the association between inflammation and depressive symptoms. This analysis separates predictors into between-person and within-person components to gain greater clarity about this relationship. Blood samples were collected and depressive symptoms assessed in 140 adolescents (54% female, 59% Black, Mage = 16.1 years) with at least three blood draws and a total of 394 follow-up observations. Multi-level modeling indicated that the within-person effect of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) predicted change in total depressive symptoms, suggesting a potential causal relationship. There were no significant within-person effects of total depressive symptoms on change in biomarkers. Exploratory analyses examined associations between inflammatory biomarkers and subsets of depressive symptoms. These findings inform modeling decisions that may explain inconsistencies in the extant literature as well as suggest potential causal relationships between certain proteins with significant within-person effects on depressive symptoms, and vice-versa.

Exploring syndemic vulnerability across generations: A case study of a former fishing village in the Netherlands

This qualitative case study uses a life-course approach to explore syndemic vulnerability in a former fishing village in the Netherlands. Building on four years of fieldwork in a low-income neighborhood, we explored salient themes between and across families and generations. Elderly community members (>65 years) were interviewed to map village history and explore how contextual factors have affected family life, health, and wellbeing since the 1940s. We systematically traced and compared processes leading to or from syndemic vulnerability by studying seven families across three generations. Adults with at least one of clustering diseases, their parents (when possible), and their children participated in semi-structured life-course interviews. A complex interaction of endemic social conditions, sociocultural normative processes, learned health behaviors, and disheartening life events shaped families' predispositions for a syndemic of psychological distress, cardiometabolic conditions, and musculoskeletal pain. Educational attainment, continued social support, and aspirational capabilities emerged as themes related to decreasing syndemic vulnerability. This study demonstrates that syndemic vulnerability is potentially intergenerational and reveals the need for culturally sensitive and family-focused syndemic interventions. Future longitudinal research should focus on unravelling the pathogenesis of the clustering of psychological distress, cardiometabolic conditions, and musculoskeletal pain among young people.

Associations Between Depression, Arterial Stiffness, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults in the UK Biobank Population Study: A Mediation Analysis

Importance

Previous research has linked a history of depression with arterial stiffness (AS) during midlife.

Objective

To assess the association of depression with elevated midlife AS and to investigate the extent to which this association is mediated via metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Design, Settings, and Participants

This population-based retrospective cohort study analyzed data collected between March 2006 and December 2010 from 124 445 participants aged 40 to 69 years from the UK Biobank. Participants without data on AS at baseline (n = 332 780) or who reported a previous diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (n = 45 374) were not eligible. Data analysis was performed from May to August 2019.

Exposures

Lifetime history of depression was assessed via verbal interview and linked hospital-based clinical depression diagnosis. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of 3 or more of hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and unhealthy waist circumference.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Peripherally assessed AS index (ASI) using digital photoplethysmography.

Results

Of 124 445 included participants with ASI assessed, 71 799 (57.7%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 56 (8) years. A total of 10 304 participants (8.3%) reported a history of depression. Study findings indicated a significant direct association between depression and ASI levels (β = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.17-0.32). A significant indirect association was also observed between depression and ASI levels (β = 0.10; 95% CI, 0.07-0.13), indicating that 29% of the association of depression with ASI was mediated by MetS. The proportion of mediation increased to 37% when C-reactive protein was added to the MetS criteria (direct association: β = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.15-0.28; indirect association: β = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.10-0.17). Concerning components of MetS, the strongest indirect association was for waist circumference, accounting for 25% of the association between depression and ASI levels (direct association: β = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.18-0.34; indirect association: β = 0.09; 95% CI, 0.06-0.11). Among men, hypertriglyceridemia accounted for 19% of the association between depression and ASI (direct association: β = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.05-0.40; indirect association: β = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02-0.08).

Conclusions and Relevance

One-third of the association of depression with elevated ASI levels during midlife may be accounted for by combined MetS and inflammatory processes. Unhealthy waist circumference and hypertriglyceridemia emerged as the most important potential targets for preventive interventions within women and men, respectively.

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores do not accurately estimate depression prevalence: individual participant data meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Depression symptom questionnaires are not for diagnostic classification. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores ≥10 are nonetheless often used to estimate depression prevalence. We compared PHQ-9 ≥10 prevalence to Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID) major depression prevalence and assessed whether an alternative PHQ-9 cutoff could more accurately estimate prevalence.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Individual participant data meta-analysis of datasets comparing PHQ-9 scores to SCID major depression status.

RESULTS

A total of 9,242 participants (1,389 SCID major depression cases) from 44 primary studies were included. Pooled PHQ-9 ≥10 prevalence was 24.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.8%, 28.9%); pooled SCID major depression prevalence was 12.1% (95% CI: 9.6%, 15.2%); and pooled difference was 11.9% (95% CI: 9.3%, 14.6%). The mean study-level PHQ-9 ≥10 to SCID-based prevalence ratio was 2.5 times. PHQ-9 ≥14 and the PHQ-9 diagnostic algorithm provided prevalence closest to SCID major depression prevalence, but study-level prevalence differed from SCID-based prevalence by an average absolute difference of 4.8% for PHQ-9 ≥14 (95% prediction interval: -13.6%, 14.5%) and 5.6% for the PHQ-9 diagnostic algorithm (95% prediction interval: -16.4%, 15.0%).

CONCLUSION

PHQ-9 ≥10 substantially overestimates depression prevalence. There is too much heterogeneity to correct statistically in individual studies.

Examining the Influence of Early Life Stress on Serum Lipid Profiles and Cognitive Functioning in Depressed Patients

Background

Early childhood adversity is a strong predictor of the development of major depressive disorder (MDD), but not all depressed patients experience early life stress (ELS). Cardio-metabolic diseases and cognitive deficits often coincide in MDD and worsen its course and outcome. Adverse childhood experiences have been associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but little is known on the impact of ELS on cardiovascular risk factors in MDD. Here, we examined MDD patients with and without ELS to explore the effects of ELS on serum lipid and lipoprotein levels and on cognitive performances of the patients.

Methods

Participants with a mean age of 35 years (18–55 years) were recruited from the university mental health clinic and general community. Three groups, matched in age, gender and lifestyle were examined: MDD patients with ELS (n = 21), MDD patients without ELS (n = 21), and healthy controls (n = 20). The following CVD risk factors were assessed: serum lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoproteins), body mass index and exercise in a typical week. MDD severity was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was used to assess early life adversities. Executive functions and attentional processes were assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting and Conners’ Continuous Performance tests.

Results

Major depressive disorder patients with ELS had higher serum triglyceride and lower HDL-cholesterol concentrations compared to MDD patients without ELS. Linear regression analysis revealed that the severity of ELS had a significant negative association with HDL-cholesterol levels and significant positive associations with the serum levels of TG and TC/HDL-cholesterol index. We also found significant associations between some specific trauma types and lipid profiles. Finally, we could detect significant associations between depression severity and specific domains of the cognitive tests as well as between lipid profiles and certain domains of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. However, we could not detect any association between the severity of ELS and cognitive performance.

Conclusion

After controlling for depressive symptom severity and lifestyle variables, ELS was found to be a strong predictor of serum lipid alterations. Several, inter-correlated pathways may mediate the undesirable effects of ELS on the course and outcome of MDD.

Inflammatory Proteins Predict Change in Depressive Symptoms in Male and Female Adolescents

Inflammation has been implicated in depressive symptoms, but few studies use longitudinal designs with adolescents. Furthermore, the extant literature has yielded inconsistent results. Blood was collected from a community sample of 201 adolescents (109 female, ages 12.3-20.0) and analyzed for inflammatory proteins. Up to five follow-up assessments of depressive symptoms were conducted. Multi-level modeling indicated that high C-reactive protein (CRP) (but no other proinflammatory markers) predicted depressive symptom increases. Three-way interactions between different inflammatory biomarkers, sex, and months-to-follow-up predicted change in depressive symptoms. Higher interleukin-6 predicted increased depressive symptoms at 13-31 months after baseline assessment of depression and inflammation for females. Higher tumor necrosis factor-alpha predicted increased depressive symptoms at < 1 month after baseline for males and 13-31 months after baseline for females. Higher interleukin-8 in males predicted lower depressive symptoms at 31 months after baseline. Exploratory post-hoc analyses examined these predictive associations for specific subsets of depressive symptoms. These findings are the first to support the predictive association of elevated CRP for depressive symptoms in a community adolescent sample and serve as preliminary evidence that the relationship between cytokines and later depressive symptoms differs by sex, time-to-follow-up, and the specific biomarker.

Sleep Duration and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: a Systematic Review

Background

Little is known about a possible association between sleep duration and the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), in healthy people. In this systematic review, we conducted a literature search to examine possible association between sleep duration and the incidence of AF.

Methods

Scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Embase) were searched using relevant Medical Subject Headings and keywords, to retrieve studies written in English and published until November 2017. Only observational studies were included. Since sleep duration categories were not consistent, it was feasible to run a meta-analysis.

Results

Six eligible studies were included. Long sleep duration (≥ 8 hours) was found to be associated with an increased risk of AF (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.00-1.27 and aHR= 1.5, 95% CI: 1.07-2.10) in two studies. One study reported that sleep duration less than 6 hours was associated with an increased risk of AF (aHR= 1.58, 95% CI: 1.18 -2.13) compared to sleeping for 6-7 hours. In two studies, mean sleep duration was lower in AF groups compared to the non-AF group. Insomnia was associated with an increased risk of AF in another study (aHR= 1.33, 95% CI: 1.25-1.41).

Conclusions

Unhealthy sleep duration, defined as either less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours, may be associated with an increased risk of AF.

10-year ASCVD risk is positively correlated with depressive symptoms in a large general population

BACKGROUND

To explore the potential correlation between 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk and depressive symptoms in a general population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving 11,956 permanent residents of Liaoning Province in China ≥35 years of age was conducted. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) while 10-year ASCVD risk was calculated using the tool suitable for China.

RESULTS

Males had significantly higher 10-year ASCVD risk than females (14.2 ± 10.7% vs. 9.3 ± 9.1%; P <  0.001) but lower PHQ-9 score (2.34 ± 3.13 vs. 3.63 ± 4.02; P <  0.001). The mean PHQ-9 score increased significantly with advancing 10-year ASCVD risk category in both males (from 2.03 to 2.61; P for trend < 0.001) and females (from 3.04 to 4.61; P for trend < 0.001), and the increasing trend was more apparent in females (P <  0.001). Pearson correlation analyses showed that 10-year ASCVD risk positively correlated with PHQ-9 score in both sexes (Ps <  0.001). In multivariate linear regression analyses adjusting for confounding risk factors, the independent associations of 10-year ASCVD risk with PHQ-9 score were all significant in the total (β = 2.61; P <  0.001), male (β = 1.64; P = 0.001), and female subjects (β = 3.71; P <  0.001). Further, the interaction analysis proved the impacts of 10-year ASCVD risk on PHQ-9 score were more apparent in females than males (Ps < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The 10-year ASCVD risk was positively associated with depressive symptoms in both males and females, which was more apparent in the latter. These findings provided some novel data about the value of 10-year ASCVD risk in estimating depressive symptoms.

Comparison of depression prevalence estimates in meta-analyses based on screening tools and rating scales versus diagnostic interviews: a meta-research review

BACKGROUND

Depression symptom questionnaires are commonly used to assess symptom severity and as screening tools to identify patients who may have depression. They are not designed to ascertain diagnostic status and, based on published sensitivity and specificity estimates, would theoretically be expected to overestimate prevalence. Meta-analyses sometimes estimate depression prevalence based on primary studies that used screening tools or rating scales rather than validated diagnostic interviews. Our objectives were to determine classification methods used in primary studies included in depression prevalence meta-analyses, if pooled prevalence differs by primary study classification methods as would be predicted, whether meta-analysis abstracts accurately describe primary study classification methods, and how meta-analyses describe prevalence estimates in abstracts.

METHODS

We searched PubMed (January 2008-December 2017) for meta-analyses that reported pooled depression prevalence in the abstract. For each meta-analysis, we included up to one pooled prevalence for each of three depression classification method categories: (1) diagnostic interviews only, (2) screening or rating tools, and (3) a combination of methods.

RESULTS

In 69 included meta-analyses (81 prevalence estimates), eight prevalence estimates (10%) were based on diagnostic interviews, 36 (44%) on screening or rating tools, and 37 (46%) on combinations. Prevalence was 31% based on screening or rating tools, 22% for combinations, and 17% for diagnostic interviews. Among 2094 primary studies in 81 pooled prevalence estimates, 277 (13%) used validated diagnostic interviews, 1604 (77%) used screening or rating tools, and 213 (10%) used other methods (e.g., unstructured interviews, medical records). Classification methods pooled were accurately described in meta-analysis abstracts for 17 of 81 (21%) prevalence estimates. In 73 meta-analyses based on screening or rating tools or on combined methods, 52 (71%) described the prevalence as being for "depression" or "depressive disorders." Results were similar for meta-analyses in journals with impact factor ≥ 10.

CONCLUSIONS

Most meta-analyses combined estimates from studies that used screening tools or rating scales instead of diagnostic interviews, did not disclose this in abstracts, and described the prevalence as being for "depression" or "depressive disorders " even though disorders were not assessed. Users of meta-analyses of depression prevalence should be cautious when interpreting results because reported prevalence may exceed actual prevalence.

Health literacy in men and women with cardiovascular diseases and its association with the use of health care services - Results from the population-based GEDA2014/2015-EHIS survey in Germany

BACKGROUND

Health literacy (HL), defined as the ability to access, understand, appraise and apply health information, offers a promising approach to reduce the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and to improve the management of CVD in populations.

DESIGN

We used data from nationwide cross-sectional German Health Update (GEDA2014/2015-EHIS) survey. 13,577 adults ≥ 40 years completed a comprehensive standardized paper or online questionnaire including the short form of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16).

METHODS

We compared participants with and without CVD with regard to their HL. We also analyzed the association between HL level and health care outcomes among individuals with CVD, i.e. frequency of general practitioner or specialist consultations, hospitalization and treatment delay.

RESULTS

The percentage of "problematic" or "inadequate" HL, defined as "not sufficient" HL, was significantly higher in individuals with CVD compared to without CVD (men 41.8% vs. 33.6%, women 46.7% vs. 33.4%). Having CVD was independently associated with "not sufficient" HL after adjusting for age, education, income, health consciousness and social support (adjusted OR: men 1.36, women 1.64). Among participants with CVD, individuals with "inadequate" HL were more likely to have more than 6 general practitioner consultations (49.3% vs. 28.7%), hospitalization (46.6% vs. 36.0%) in the last 12 months and to experience delay in getting health care because of long waiting lists for an appointment (30.7% vs. 18.5%) compared to participants with "sufficient" HL.

CONCLUSION

"Problematic" or "inadequate" HL is independently associated with CVD and health care use. This is a challenge and an opportunity for both CVD prevention and treatment.

Immunocognitive Model of Depression Secondary to Anxiety in Adolescents

There is evidence that anxiety precedes the onset of depression and that rumination contributes to this risk pathway in adolescence. This study examined inflammatory biomarkers as mediators in a risk model of depressive symptoms secondary to anxiety symptoms among adolescents who ruminate. A sample of 140 adolescents (52% female, 54% African American, 40% Caucasian, 6% biracial, mean age at T1 = 16.5 years, SD = 1.2 years) provided blood samples on two visits (T1 and T2; mean time between T1 and T2 = 13.5 months, SD = 5.9 months). Self-report anxiety, depression, and rumination measures were given at T1 and the depression measure was given again at a third visit (T3, mean months since T1 = 26.0 months, SD = 9.0 months). Higher anxiety predicted more interleukin-6, but not more C-reactive protein, for adolescents with high levels of rumination. Moderated mediation analyses (N for analysis after removing cases with missing data and outliers = 86) indicated that interleukin-6, but not C-reactive protein, at T2 mediated the relationship between anxiety symptoms at T1 and depressive symptoms at T3, conditional on rumination. Anxiety and rumination interacted such that, as rumination increased, anxiety predicted greater inflammation and depressive symptoms. These results demonstrate that established cognitive vulnerabilities for the development of depressive symptoms secondary to anxiety symptoms in adolescence might indirectly operate though biological mechanisms such as inflammation. In addition to highlighting risk factors and potential treatment targets for depression, this study suggests a potential biological mechanism underlying the effects of psychotherapies that reduce rumination on negative affect (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy).

Updating the Evidence of the Interaction Between Clopidogrel and CYP2C19-Inhibiting Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Cohort Study and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

We previously found that patients who initiate clopidogrel while treated with a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19-inhibiting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) have a higher risk of subsequent ischemic events than patients treated with other SSRIs. It is not known whether initiating an inhibiting SSRI while treated with clopidogrel will also increase risk of ischemic events.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes following initiation of a CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI versus initiation of other SSRIs among patients treated with clopidogrel and to update existing evidence on the clinical impact of clopidogrel-SSRI interaction.

METHODS

Using five US databases (1998-2013), we conducted a cohort study of clopidogrel initiators who encountered treatment with SSRI during their clopidogrel therapy. Patients were matched by propensity score (PS) and followed for as long as they were exposed to both clopidogrel and index SSRI group. Outcomes were a composite ischemic event (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or a revascularization procedure, whichever came first) and a composite major bleeding event (gastrointestinal bleed or hemorrhagic stroke, whichever came first). Results were combined via random-effects meta-analysis with previous evidence from subjects initiating clopidogrel while on SSRI therapy.

RESULTS

The PS-matched cohort comprised 2346 clopidogrel users starting CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI therapy and 16,115 starting other SSRIs (mean age 61 years; 59% female). Compared with those treated with a non-inhibiting SSRI, the hazard ratio (HR) for patients treated with a CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI was 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82-1.40) for the ischemic outcome and 1.00 (95% CI 0.42-2.36) for bleeding. The pooled estimates were 1.11 (95% CI 1.01-1.22) for ischemic events and 0.80 (95% CI 0.55-1.18) for bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed similar estimates of association between the two studies. The updated evidence still indicates a small decrease in clopidogrel effectiveness associated with concomitant exposure to clopidogrel and CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRIs.

Anxiety, Depression, and Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Starting Warfarin: Cardiovascular Research Network WAVE Study

BACKGROUND

Anxiety and depression are associated with worse outcomes in several cardiovascular conditions, but it is unclear whether they affect outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF). In a large diverse population of adults with AF, we evaluated the association of diagnosed anxiety and/or depression with stroke and bleeding outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Cardiovascular Research Network WAVE (Community-Based Control and Persistence of Warfarin Therapy and Associated Rates and Predictors of Adverse Clinical Events in Atrial Fibrillation and Venous Thromboembolism) Study included adults with AF newly starting warfarin between 2004 and 2007 within 5 health delivery systems in the United States. Diagnosed anxiety and depression and other patient characteristics were identified from electronic health records. We identified stroke and bleeding outcomes from hospitalization databases using validated International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), codes. We used multivariable Cox regression to assess the relation between anxiety and/or depression with outcomes after adjustment for stroke and bleeding risk factors. In 25 570 adults with AF initiating warfarin, 490 had an ischemic stroke or intracranial hemorrhage (1.52 events per 100 person-years). In multivariable analyses, diagnosed anxiety was associated with a higher adjusted rate of combined ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage (hazard ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-2.28). Results were not materially changed after additional adjustment for patient-level percentage of time in therapeutic anticoagulation range on warfarin (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.36). In contrast, neither isolated depression nor combined depression and anxiety were significantly associated with outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnosed anxiety was independently associated with increased risk of combined ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage in adults with AF initiating warfarin that was not explained by differences in risk factors or achieved anticoagulation quality.

Risk of Stroke Among Older Medicare Antidepressant Users With Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the risk of stroke associated with new antidepressant use among older adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 64 214 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older meeting inclusion criteria and hospitalized with a TBI during 2006 to 2010.

DESIGN

New user design. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) of stroke.

MAIN MEASURES

Primary exposure was new antidepressant use following TBI identified through Medicare part D claims. The primary outcome was stroke following TBI. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes were secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 20 859 (32%) beneficiaries used an antidepressant at least once following TBI. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors accounted for the majority of antidepressant use. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use was associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke (RR, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.50) but not ischemic stroke (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.94-1.15). The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors escitalopram (RR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.02-1.74) and sertraline (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.10-1.94) were associated with an increase in the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study will aid prescribers in choosing appropriate antidepressants to treat depression in older adults with TBI.

Prevalence of depression in cardiovascular patients in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis from 2000 to 2017

BACKGROUND

In both developed and developing countries, cardiovascular disease is on the rise, representing nowadays one of the main challenges for the health systems worldwide. This increase generates relevant costs. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic and meta-analytical review of the prevalence of depression in cardiovascular patients in Iran.

METHODS

Articles written in English and Persian were searched from January 2000 to July 2017 in different scholarly databases.

RESULTS

12 studies were retained and included in the current meta-analysis. Selected studies were published between 2008 and 2016. The number of patients participating in these studies was 9292. Based on the random-effects model, the prevalence of depression in cardiovascular patients in Iran was 47% [95% confidence interval or CI 38-56], I²=98.2% with P = 0.000. The relative risk (RR) of depression in cardiovascular patients yielded a value of 1.30 [95%CI 1.05-1.62] with P < 0.001. Women are more at risk for depression than men.

CONCLUSION

The current meta-analysis estimated the prevalence of depression among cardiovascular patients in Iran. The prevalence found computed by the present study is higher than the figures found in developed countries. Depression with cardiovascular disease causes many problems for these patients, and early diagnosis and treatment significantly helps in improving quality of life, as well as saving costs and resources.

Nested positive feedback loops in the maintenance of major depression: An integration and extension of previous models

Several theories of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have previously been proposed, focusing largely on either a psychological (i.e., cognitive/affective), biological, or neural/computational level of description. These theories appeal to somewhat distinct bodies of work that have each highlighted separate factors as being of considerable potential importance to the maintenance of MDD. Such factors include a range of cognitive/attentional information-processing biases, a range of structural and functional brain abnormalities, and also dysregulation within the autonomic, endocrine, and immune systems. However, to date there have been limited efforts to integrate these complimentary perspectives into a single multi-level framework. Here we review previous work in each of these MDD research domains and illustrate how they can be synthesized into a more comprehensive model of how a depressive episode is maintained. In particular, we emphasize how plausible (but insufficiently studied) interactions between the various MDD-related factors listed above can lead to a series of nested positive feedback loops, which are each capable of maintaining an individual in a depressive episode. We also describe how these different feedback loops could be active to different degrees in different individual cases, potentially accounting for heterogeneity in both depressive symptoms and treatment response. We conclude by discussing how this integrative model might extend understanding of current treatment mechanisms, and also potentially guide the search for markers to inform treatment selection in individual cases.

Polygenic loading for major depression is associated with specific medical comorbidity

Major depressive disorder frequently co-occurs with medical disorders, raising the possibility of shared genetic liability. Recent identification of 15 novel genetic loci associated with depression allows direct investigation of this question. In cohorts of individuals participating in biobanks at two academic medical centers, we calculated polygenic loading for risk loci reported to be associated with depression. We then examined the association between such loading and 50 groups of clinical diagnoses, or topics, drawn from these patients' electronic health records, determined using a novel application of latent Dirichilet allocation. Three topics showed experiment-wide association with the depression liability score; these included diagnostic groups representing greater prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders, greater prevalence of cardiac ischemia, and a decreased prevalence of heart failure. The latter two associations persisted even among individuals with no mood disorder diagnosis. This application of a novel method for grouping related diagnoses in biobanks indicate shared genetic risk for depression and cardiac disease, with a pattern suggesting greater ischemic risk and diminished heart failure risk.

The impact of medication nonadherence on the relationship between mortality risk and depression in heart failure

OBJECTIVE

Heart failure affects more than 5 million U.S. adults, and approximately 20% of individuals with heart failure experience depressive symptoms. Depression is detrimental to prognosis in heart failure, conferring approximately a 2-fold increase in mortality risk. Medication nonadherence may help explain this relationship because depressed patients are less likely to adhere to the medication regimen.

METHOD

Depression, electronically monitored medication adherence, and mortality were measured in a sample of 308 patients with heart failure participating in a study of self-management behavior. Cardiovascular and all-cause mortality data were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Death Index (median 2.9-year follow-up). Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the relationship between depression and mortality, with and without adjustment for age, gender, disease severity, and medication nonadherence.

RESULTS

In adjusted analyses, depression was associated with an increased all-cause mortality risk (hazard ratio 1.87; 95% confidence interval 1.04-3.37). Depression was not related to cardiovascular mortality, potentially because of a low number of cardiac-related deaths. When medication nonadherence was added to the model, nonadherence (hazard ratio 1.01; 95% confidence interval 1.004-1.02), but not depression, predicted all-cause mortality risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms confer increased all-cause mortality risk in heart failure, and medication nonadherence contributes to this relationship. Depression and nonadherence represent potentially modifiable risk factors for poor prognosis. Future research is needed to understand whether interventions that concomitantly target these factors can improve outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record

Association between CHADS2 score, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in a general population

BACKGROUND

To investigate the association between CHADS₂ score, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in a large general population from China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 11,956 permanent residents of Liaoning Province in China ≥ 35 years of age was conducted between January and August 2013 (response rate 85.3%). All participants completed a questionnaire, had a physical examination, and underwent blood examination. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), while the quality of life (QoL) was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Scale (WHOQOL-BREF).

RESULTS

With increasing CHADS₂ score, the prevalence of depressive symptoms increased from 4.9 to 27.8% (P < 0.001), and all scores of WHOQOL-BREF decreased significantly (all Ps < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding risk factors, subjects with CHADS₂ score ≥ 3 had higher risk of depressive symptoms than those with CHADS₂ score = 0 (all Ps < 0.05). Also, CHADS₂ score was negatively associated with all scores of WHOQOL-BREF (all Ps < 0.001). Furthermore, subjects with any item in CHADS₂ had higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (all Ps < 0.001). Heart failure and stroke remained independently associated with depressive symptoms after adjusting for confounding risk factors and other items (Ps < 0.001), while heart failure, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, and stroke were all independently negatively associated with the total score of WHOQOL-BREF (all Ps < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The CHADS₂ score is significantly associated with depressive symptoms and impaired quality of life in the general population.

Depressive Symptoms, Cardiac Disease Severity, and Functional Status in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease (from the Heart and Soul Study)

Patient-reported health status is highly valued as a key measure of health care quality, yet little is known about the extent to which it is determined by subjective perception compared with objective measures of disease severity. We sought to compare the associations of depressive symptoms and objective measures of cardiac disease severity with perceived functional status in patients with stable coronary artery disease. We assessed depressive symptoms, severity of cardiovascular disease, and perceived functional status in a cross-sectional study of 1,023 patients with stable coronary artery disease. We compared the extent to which patient-reported functional status was influenced by depressive symptoms versus objective measures of disease severity. We then evaluated perceived functional status as a predictor of subsequent cardiovascular hospitalizations during 8.8 years of follow-up. Patients with depressive symptoms were more likely to report poor functional status than those without depressive symptoms (44% vs 17%; p <0.001). After adjustment for traditional risk factors and co-morbid conditions, independent predictors of poor functional status were depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] 2.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.89 to 3.79), poor exercise capacity (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.65 to 3.19), and history of heart failure (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.29). Compared with patients who had class I functional status, those with class II functional status had a 96% greater rate (hazard ratio 1.96, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.34) and those with class III or IV functional status had a 104% greater rate (hazard ratio 2.04, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.73) of hospitalization for HF, adjusted for baseline demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, cardiac disease severity, and depressive symptoms. In conclusion, depressive symptoms and cardiac disease severity were independently associated with patient-reported functional status. This suggests that perceived functional status may be as strongly influenced by depressive symptoms as it is by cardiovascular disease severity.

Attachment anxiety predicts depression and anxiety symptoms following coronary artery bypass graft surgery

OBJECTIVE

Depression and anxiety are associated with poor recovery in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients, but little is known about predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms.

DESIGN

We tested the prospective association between attachment orientation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in CABG patients, 6-8 weeks, and 12 months following surgery.

METHOD

One hundred and fifty-five patients who were undergoing planned CABG surgery were recruited. Patients completed questionnaires measuring attachment, depression, and anxiety prior to surgery, then 6-8 weeks, and 12 months after surgery.

RESULTS

Attachment anxiety predicted symptoms of depression and anxiety at both follow-up time points, whereas attachment avoidance was not associated with depression or anxiety symptoms. The findings remained significant when controlling for baseline mood scores, social support, demographic, and clinical risk factors.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that attachment anxiety is associated with short-term and long-term depression and anxiety symptoms following CABG surgery. These results may offer important insight into understanding the recovery process in CABG surgery. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Depression and anxiety symptoms are twice more likely to occur in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) populations than in any other medical group. Depression and anxiety are associated with poor recovery following cardiac surgery. Predictors of depression and anxiety in CABG patients have been underexplored. What does this study add? This study highlights the importance of close interpersonal relationships on health. Attachment anxiety was prospectively associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety. These results add to understanding mechanisms linked to recovery following CABG.

Recommendations for Primary Care Provided by Psychiatrists

Recent studies have shown that people with severe mental illness have a dramatically lower life expectancy than the general population. Psychiatrists have not traditionally been very attentive to or involved with physical health issues and there has been growing emphasis on integrated care for physical and mental health and access to primary care for all members of the population. This paper examines the role of psychiatrists in the provision of primary care to the patients they treat. Some recommendations are offered for their involvement in the provision of primary care at three levels of complexity: Level 1--Universal Basic Psychiatric Primary Care; Level 2--Enhanced Psychiatric Primary Care; and Level 3--Fully Integrated Primary Care and Psychiatric Management. Some of the obstacles to the provision of primary care by psychiatrists are considered along with some suggestions for overcoming them.

Individualized Absolute Risk Calculations for Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions: Embracing Heterogeneity, Causality, and Competing Events

Approximately 75% of adults over the age of 65 years are affected by two or more chronic medical conditions. We provide a conceptual justification for individualized absolute risk calculators for competing patient-centered outcomes (PCO) (i.e. outcomes deemed important by patients) and patient reported outcomes (PRO) (i.e. outcomes patients report instead of physiologic test results). The absolute risk of an outcome is the probability that a person receiving a given treatment will experience that outcome within a pre-defined interval of time, during which they are simultaneously at risk for other competing outcomes. This allows for determination of the likelihood of a given outcome with and without a treatment. We posit that there are heterogeneity of treatment effects among patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) largely depends on those coexisting conditions. We outline the development of an individualized absolute risk calculator for competing outcomes using propensity score methods that strengthen causal inference for specific treatments. Innovations include the key concept that any given outcome may or may not concur with any other outcome and that these competing outcomes do not necessarily preclude other outcomes. Patient characteristics and MCC will be the primary explanatory factors used in estimating the heterogeneity of treatment effects on PCO and PRO. This innovative method may have wide-spread application for determining individualized absolute risk calculations for competing outcomes. Knowing the probabilities of outcomes in absolute terms may help the burgeoning population of patients with MCC who face complex treatment decisions.

[Treatment of depression in coronary heart disease]

Depression and coronary heart disease (CHD) are leading causes of disability and show a high comorbidity. Furthermore, depression is an independent risk factor for an unfavorable course and increased mortality in patients with CHD. In contrast, successful treatment of depression can reduce the risk of cardiac events. Currently, there are several treatment options for the management of depression in CHD, including self-management strategies, psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and collaborative care models. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology of depression in CHD, the mechanisms of association and the current state of evidence with respect to the different treatment options.

Role of peripheral vascular resistance for the association between major depression and cardiovascular disease

Major depression and cardiovascular diseases are 2 of the most prevalent health problems in Western society, and an association between them is generally accepted. Although the specific mechanism behind this comorbidity remains to be elucidated, it is clear that it has a complex multifactorial character including a number of neuronal, humoral, immune, and circulatory pathways. Depression-associated cardiovascular abnormalities associate with cardiac dysfunctions and with changes in peripheral resistance. Although cardiac dysfunction in association with depression has been studied in detail, little attention was given to structural and functional changes in resistance arteries responsible for blood pressure control and tissue perfusion. This review discusses recent achievements in studies of depression-associated abnormalities in resistance arteries in humans and animal experimental models. The changes in arterial structure, contractile and relaxing functions associated with depression symptoms are discussed, and the role of these abnormalities for the pathology of major depression and cardiovascular diseases are suggested.

Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Men With Poor Emotional Control: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE

Many psychosocial factors have been associated with coronary heart disease (CHD), including hostility, anger, and depression. We tested the hypothesis that these factors may have their basis in emotion regulation abilities. Our aim was to determine whether poor emotional control predicted long-term risk of CHD.

METHODS

This Swedish national study includes 46,393 men who were conscripted for military service in 1969 and 1970. The men were aged 18 to 20 years at the time of conscription. Psychologists used a brief semistructured interview to retrospectively assess the conscripts' level of emotional control in childhood and adolescence. The outcome measure was a first fatal or nonfatal event of CHD. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor and adequate versus good emotional control.

RESULTS

After 38 years of follow-up (1971-2009), 2456 incident cases of CHD had occurred. Poor emotional control increased the risk of CHD (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.18-1.45), adjusting for childhood socioeconomic position, anxiety, depression, and parental history of CHD. Further adjustment for life-style-related factors, for example, smoking and body mass index, attenuated the HR to 1.08 (95% CI = 0.97-1.21). In stratified analyses, the fully adjusted association between poor emotional control with CHD remained significantly elevated among men with a parental history of CHD (HR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.11-2.01, p interaction = .037).

CONCLUSIONS

In the overall study population, poor emotional control had no direct effect on CHD beyond life-style-related factors. However, in men with a parental history of CHD, poor emotional control in adolescence remained significantly predictive of long-term CHD risk even when adjusting for life-style-related factors.

Depression and the Link with Cardiovascular Disease

This review provides an outline of the association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Much is known about the two individual clinical conditions; however, it is not until recently, biological mechanisms have been uncovered that link both MDD and CHD. The activation of stress pathways have been implicated as a neurochemical mechanism that links MDD and CHD. Depression is known to be associated with poorer outcomes of CHD. Psychological factors, such as major depression and stress, are now known as risk factors for developing CHD, which is as important and is independent of classic risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cigarette smoking. Both conditions have great socioeconomic importance given that depression and CHD are likely to be two of the three leading causes of global burden of disease. Better understanding of the common causal pathways will help us delineate more appropriate treatments.

Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis is Significantly Lower in Type 2 Diabetic Patients With Mental Disorders Than in Those Without Mental Disorders: A Cross-sectional Study

Physical activity improves health in patients with mental disorders. Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) represents energy expenditure due to daily physical activities other than volitional exercise. We aimed to evaluate NEAT in type 2 diabetic patients with and without accompanying mental disorders.Between September 2010 and September 2014, we studied 150 patients with type 2 diabetes, 50 of whom also had a diagnosis of mental disorder, such as schizophrenia or mood disorder. We evaluated their NEAT in structured interviews using a validated questionnaire, and investigated differences in NEAT score and metabolic parameters between patients with and without mental disorders.The NEAT score was significantly lower in patients with mental disorders than in those without (56.3 ± 9.9 vs 61.9 ± 12.1; P = 0.005). Patients with mental disorders had significantly higher triglyceride (184.5 ± 116.3 vs 146.4 ± 78.4 mg/dL; P = 0.02) and insulin levels (18.7 ± 20.1 vs 11.2 ± 8.5 μU/mL; P = 0.006), and significantly lower B-type natriuretic peptide (12.1 ± 13.3 vs 26.3 ± 24.8 pg/mL; P < 0.001) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity levels (1501 ± 371 vs 1699 ± 367 cm/s; P = 0.003) than patients without mental disorders. In patients with schizophrenia, specifically, NEAT showed a negative correlation with hemoglobin A1c levels (β = -0.493, P = 0.031), and a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (β = 0.519, P = 0.023) and B-type natriuretic peptide levels (β = 0.583, P = 0.02).Our results suggest that NEAT may be beneficial for the management of obesity, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles in patients with mental disorders. Incorporating NEAT into interventions for type 2 diabetes in patients with mental disorders, especially schizophrenia, shows promise and warrants further investigation.

Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care: Consulting, Coordinating and Collaborating Among Professionals

PURPOSE

This paper sought to describe how clinicians from different backgrounds interact to deliver integrated behavioral and primary health care, and the contextual factors that shape such interactions.

METHODS

This was a comparative case study in which a multidisciplinary team used an immersion-crystallization approach to analyze data from observations of practice operations, interviews with practice members, and implementation diaries. The observed practices were drawn from 2 studies: Advancing Care Together, a demonstration project of 11 practices located in Colorado; and the Integration Workforce Study, consisting of 8 practices located across the United States.

RESULTS

Primary care and behavioral health clinicians used 3 interpersonal strategies to work together in integrated settings: consulting, coordinating, and collaborating (3Cs). Consulting occurred when clinicians sought advice, validated care plans, or corroborated perceptions of a patient's needs with another professional. Coordinating involved 2 professionals working in a parallel or in a back-and-forth fashion to achieve a common patient care goal, while delivering care separately. Collaborating involved 2 or more professionals interacting in real time to discuss a patient's presenting symptoms, describe their views on treatment, and jointly develop a care plan. Collaborative behavior emerged when a patient's care or situation was complex or novel. We identified contextual factors shaping use of the 3Cs, including: time to plan patient care, staffing, employing brief therapeutic approaches, proximity of clinical team members, and electronic health record documenting behavior.

CONCLUSION

Primary care and behavioral health clinicians, through their interactions, consult, coordinate, and collaborate with each other to solve patients' problems. Organizations can create integrated care environments that support these collaborations and health professions training programs should equip clinicians to execute all 3Cs routinely in practice.

Association of sleep characteristics with atrial fibrillation: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Population-based studies have linked measures of sleep disordered breathing to nocturnally occurring atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes. Whether measures of sleep disordered breathing and sleep quality are associated with prevalent AF has not been studied in an unselected population. We investigated the cross-sectional association with prevalent AF of objectively collected prespecified measures of overnight sleep breathing disturbances, sleep stage distributions, arousal and sleep duration.

METHODS

AF prevalence, defined by diagnosis codes, study electrocardiography and sleep study were examined among Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants who underwent polysomnography in the MESA Sleep Study (n=2048).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Higher apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) was associated with increased odds of AF, although the significance was attenuated after full adjustment for covariates including prevalent cardiovascular disease (OR: 1.22 (0.99 to 1.49) per SD (17/h), p=0.06). Analyses of sleep architecture measures and AF revealed significantly lower odds of AF associated with longer duration of slow wave sleep (OR: 0.66 (0.5 to 0.89) per SD (34 min), p=0.01) which persisted after additionally adjusting for AHI (OR: 0.68 (0.51 to 0.92), p=0.01). Higher sleep efficiency was significantly associated with lower likelihood of AF but the significance was lost when adjusted for AHI. No significant association was present between sleep duration and AF. In a model including AHI and arousal index, the association between AHI and AF was strengthened (AHI: OR 1.49 (1.15 to 1.91) per SD, p=0.002) and a significant inverse association between arousal index and AF was observed (OR 0.65 (0.50 to 0.86) per SD (12/h), p=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

In a study of a large multiethnic population, AF was associated with AHI severity, and was more common in individuals with poor sleep quality as measured by reduced slow wave sleep time, a finding that was independent of AHI.