Cardiovascular disease and death associated with depression and antidepressants in the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Ageing (MELSHA)

Depression increases the onset of cardiovascular disease over and above other determinants in older primary care patients, a cohort study

Background

To determine if major depressive disorder (MDD) in older primary care patients is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events.

Methods

A cohort of 143 primary care patients with depression and 139 non-depressed controls without depression (both aged over 55 years, matched for age and gender) from the Netherlands was evaluated for 2 years. MDD was diagnosed according to DSM-IV–criteria. During the follow-up period, information was collected on physical health, depression status and behavioural risk factors. CVD end points were assessed with validated annual questionnaires and were crosschecked with medical records.

Results

Thirty-four participants experienced a cardiovascular event, of which 71 % were depressed: 27/134 with MDD (20.1 %) and 9/137 controls (6.6 %). MDD was associated with a hazard ratio of 2.83 (p value 0,004, 95 % CI 1.32 to 6.05) for cardiovascular events. After adjustment for cardiovascular medication, the hazard ratio was 2.46 (95 % CI 1.14 to 5.30).

Conclusions

In a 2-year follow-up period, baseline MDD increased the risk for CVD in older primary care patients compared with controls, over and above well-known cardiovascular risk factors.

Bidirectional associations between clinically relevant depression or anxiety and COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The longitudinal associations between depression or anxiety and COPD, and their comorbid effect on prognosis, have not been adequately addressed by previous reviews. We aimed to systematically assess these associations to inform guidelines and practice.

METHODS

We searched electronic databases for articles published before May 2012. Longitudinal studies in adult populations that reported an association between clinically relevant depression or anxiety and COPD, or that reported their comorbid effect on exacerbation and/or mortality, were eligible. Risk ratios (RRs) were pooled across studies using random-effects models and were verified using fixed-effects models. Heterogeneity was explored with subgroup and metaregression analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty-two citations yielded 16 studies on depression or anxiety as predictors of COPD outcomes (incident COPD/chronic lung disease or exacerbation) and/or mortality, in 28,759 participants followed for 1 to 8 years, and six studies on COPD as a predictor of depression in 7,439,159 participants followed for 1 to 35 years. Depression or anxiety consistently increased the risk of COPD outcomes (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.22-1.68), particularly in higher-quality studies and in people aged ≤ 66 years. Comorbid depression increased the risk of mortality (RR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.00-3.36), particularly in men. Anxiety (or psychologic distress) increased the risk of COPD outcomes/mortality in most studies (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.02-1.58). Finally, COPD consistently increased the risk of depression (RR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.45-1.96).

CONCLUSIONS

Depression and anxiety adversely affect prognosis in COPD, conferring an increased risk of exacerbation and possibly death. Conversely, COPD increases the risk of developing depression. These bidirectional associations suggest potential usefulness of screening for these disease combinations to direct timely therapeutic intervention.

Antidepressant use, depression, and new-onset diabetes among elderly Medicare beneficiaries

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to examine the association between antidepressant use, diagnosed depression, and new-onset diabetes among elderly Medicare beneficiaries.

METHODS

Longitudinal data from merged survey and claims from the nationally representative Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey(MCBS) from 1999 to 2005 were used. Diabetes incidence was extracted from claims and survey data over a 3-year period. Data regarding depression and antidepressant use over time were obtained. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between antidepressant use, depression, and new-onset diabetes, adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle risk factors. Analyses accounted for the complex design of the MCBS.

RESULTS

The incident diabetes rate was 4.8% for those "without depression and without antidepressants" and 9.5% for those with any antidepressant use in all 3 years and diagnosed depression". Compared with Medicare beneficiaries who did not report any antidepressant use, beneficiaries reporting antidepressant use in all 3 years were 50% more likely to have new-onset diabetes. However, when diagnosed depression was entered in the model, there was no significant association between long-term antidepressant use and new-onset diabetes. Medicare beneficiaries with any depression were twice as likely as those without depression to develop diabetes (adjusted odds ratio 2.04; 95% confidence interval 1.51, 2.75).

CONCLUSIONS

Depression independently increased the risk of developing diabetes in the MCBS population, although there is no evidence of an association between antidepressant use and new-onset diabetes. If replicated, these results have significant clinical implications.

Psychological symptoms and blood pressure among rural-dwellers

Rural-dwelling adults face different health concerns and risks than do adults living in urban areas, with reduced assess to care. Studies examining the associations between anxiety and/or depression and blood pressure have yielded mixed results. This study addressed this by examining the association of these symptoms to blood pressure in men compared to women, and for differing racial groups in a rural population in the western United States. Analyses indicate the association between depression and blood pressure differs by race. Further, depressive symptoms were associated with higher diastolic blood pressure for participants at or above the mean of anxiety.

Chronic medical conditions mediate the association between depression and cardiovascular disease mortality

PURPOSE

To determine whether chronic medical conditions mediate the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

METHODS

Data analyzed were from 6,394 subjects aged 25-74 years who participated in extensive health examinations in the NHEFS conducted between 1971 and 1975 and follow-up studies to 1992. CVD mortality was the endpoint. Depression predictors were clinically significant depressive symptoms at baseline by the GWB-D, and/or at 1982-1984 by the CES-D ('baseline', 'new', or 'twice' depression). Chronic conditions were prevalent/incident high blood pressure, diabetes, and non-fatal CVD by examination and/or self-report. Mediation effects were assessed by stepwise adjustments of covariates and additive interactions in competing risks regression models (accounting for other mortality causes) and logit models.

RESULTS

Baseline, new, and twice depression were significant predictors of CVD mortality in competing-risks models adjusted for demographics (HRs 1.3, 1.4, and 2.0), but effects were progressively weakened and became non-significant after adjustment for lifestyle factors, prevalent and incident medical conditions, respectively. CVD mortality risk was 80% higher for depression plus incident non-fatal CVD than without (HR 4.0 vs. 3.2, additive interaction), and mediation effects of depression via chronic medical conditions (particularly via incident non-fatal CVD) increased the risk by 2-11% in logit models, independent of all covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Several levels of evidence suggest that the association between depression and CVD mortality is partially mediated by prevalent/incident chronic medical conditions, as well as unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Patients presenting with clinically significant depressive symptoms, particularly if persistent, should be assessed for both chronic conditions and lifestyle risk factors.