Predictive value of depressive symptoms and B-type natriuretic peptide for new-onset heart failure and mortality

Depressive symptomatology, NT-proBNP levels and health status in patients with heart failure: a prospective observational study

Background

Depressive symptoms frequently occur in patients with heart failure (HF). However, research on the relationship between these symptoms and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a key biomarker for HF severity and treatment, is scarce and yields inconsistent results.

Aims

This study investigates the relationship among depressive symptomatology, NT-proBNP and health status in a cohort of patients with HF. Additionally, it assesses the impact of depressive symptoms on their clinical outcomes.

Methods

A cohort of 151 patients with HF was followed for 1 year. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression (HADS-D) Score was used to assess anxiety and depressive symptoms, and NT-proBNP levels were measured. Health status was evaluated using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ).

Results

Patients with HADS-D scores>5 points showed significantly higher NT-proBNP levels and lower KCCQ scores at baseline. Over the year, changes in HADS-D scores correlated positively with changes in NT-proBNP levels and negatively with changes in KCCQ scores. A baseline HADS-D score>5 points was significantly associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalisation, even after adjusting for baseline characteristics (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 2.17; 95% CI 1.05 to 4.48; p=0.036).

Conclusions

HADS-D scores are significantly correlated with NT-proBNP levels and health status in patients with HF. A baseline HADS-D score>5 points is significantly associated with an elevated risk for the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and hospitalisation due to HF.

Depression is associated with heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an increased risk of heart failure (HF). Depression, a common comorbidity of T2DM, may further increase the risk of heart failure (HF). We investigated the association between depression and incident HF in patients with T2DM.

Methods and results

Depressive symptoms were assessed in the ACCORD Health-Related Quality of Life study participants at baseline, 12, 36, and 48 months using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The severity of depressive symptoms was categorized as none (0-4 points), mild (5-9 points), or moderate-severe (10-24 points). Cox regression with PHQ-9 as a time-dependent covariate was used to assess the association between depression and incident HF. During the median follow-up of 8.1 years, 104 participants developed HF (incidence: 7.1/1,000 person-years). Half of the participants with moderate-severe depression were relieved and a significant percentage of participants without depression or with mild depression worsened to mild or moderate-severe depression during the follow-up period, respectively. Each unit increase in the PHQ-9 score was associated with a 5% higher risk of HF (hazard ratio [HR]:1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.10). Patients with depression ever (HR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.25-3.98) or persistent depression (HR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.05-4.44) had a higher risk of HF than those without depression ever.

Conclusion

Depressive symptoms change greatly in T2DM patients, depressive symptoms are an independent risk factor for HF. These results reinforce the importance of continuous evaluation and management of mental health status in T2DM patients with high HF risk.

Depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, and all-cause mortality among REGARDS participants with heart failure

Aims

To ascertain whether depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment (CI) are associated with mortality among patients with heart failure (HF), adjusting for sociodemographic, comorbidities, and biomarkers.

Methods and results

We utilized Medicare-linked data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study, a biracial prospective ongoing cohort of 30 239 US community-dwelling adults, recruited in 2003-07. HF diagnosis was ascertained in claims analysis. Depressive symptoms were defined as a score ≥4 on the four-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of ≤4 on the six-item screener that assessed three-item recall and orientation to year, month, and day of the week. Sequentially adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of death. We analyzed 1059 REGARDS participants (mean age 73, 48%-African American) with HF; of those 146 (14%) reported depressive symptoms, 136 (13%) had CI and 31 (3%) had both. Over the median follow-up of 6.8 years (interquartile range, 3.4-10.3), 785 (74%) died. In the socio-demographics-adjusted model, CI was significantly associated with increased mortality, hazard ratio 1.24 (95% confidence interval 1.01-1.52), compared with persons with neither depressive symptoms nor CI, but this association was attenuated after further adjustment. Neither depressive symptoms alone nor their comorbidity with CI was associated with mortality. Risk factors of all-cause mortality included: low income, comorbidities, smoking, physical inactivity, and severity of HF.

Conclusion

Depressive symptoms, CI, or their comorbidity was not associated with mortality in HF in this study. Treatment of HF in elderly needs to be tailored to cognitive status and includes focus on medical comorbidities.

Depressive Symptoms and Incident Heart Failure Risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to examine whether greater frequency of depressive symptoms associates with increased risk of incident heart failure (HF).

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms associate with adverse prognosis in patients with prevalent HF. Their association with incident HF is less studied, particularly in low-income and minority individuals.

METHODS

We studied 23,937 Black or White Southern Community Cohort Study participants (median age: 53 years, 70% Black, 64% women) enrolled between 2002 and 2009, without prevalent HF, receiving Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services coverage. Cox models adjusted for traditional HF risk factors, socioeconomic and behavioral factors, social support, and antidepressant medications were used to quantify the association between depressive symptoms assessed at enrollment via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and incident HF ascertained from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision (ICD-9) (code: 428.x) and ICD-10 (codes: I50, I110) codes through December 31, 2016.

RESULTS

The median CESD-10 score was 9 (IQR: 5 to 13). Over a median 11-year follow-up, 6,081 (25%) participants developed HF. The strongest correlates of CESD-10 score were antidepressant medication use, age, and socioeconomic factors, rather than traditional HF risk factors. Greater frequency of depressive symptoms associated with increased incident HF risk (per 8-U higher CESD-10 HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.09; P = 0.038) without variation by race or sex. The association between depressive symptoms and incident HF varied by antidepressant use (interaction-P = 0.03) with increased risk among individuals not taking antidepressants.

CONCLUSIONS

In this high-risk, low-income, cohort of predominantly Black participants, greater frequency of depressive symptoms significantly associates with higher risk of incident HF.

Depressive Symptoms, Cardiac Structure and Function, and Risk of Incident Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction and Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in Late Life

Background Depressive symptoms are associated with heightened risk of heart failure (HF), but their association with cardiac function and with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in late life is unclear. We aimed to determine the prevalence of depression in HFpEF and in HFrEF in late life, and the association of depressive symptoms with cardiac function and incident HFpEF and HFrEF. Methods and Results We studied 6025 participants (age, 75.3±5.1 years; 59% women; 20% Black race) in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study at visit 5 who underwent echocardiography and completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale questionnaire. Among HF-free participants (n=5086), associations of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score with echocardiography and incident adjudicated HFpEF and HFrEF were assessed using multivariable linear and Cox proportional hazards regression. Prevalent HFpEF, but not HFrEF, was associated with a higher prevalence of depression compared with HF-free participants (P<0.001 and P=0.59, respectively). Among HF-free participants, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score was not associated with cardiac structure and function after adjusting for demographics and comorbidities (all P>0.05). Over 5.5-year follow-up, higher Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score was associated with heightened risk of incident HFpEF (hazard ratio [HR] [95% CI], 1.06 [1.04-1.12]; P=0.02), but not HFrEF (HR [95% CI], 1.02 [0.96-1.08]; P=0.54), independent of echocardiographic measures, NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), troponin, and hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) (HR [95% CI], 1.06 [1.00-1.12]; P=0.04). Conclusions Worse depressive symptoms predict incident HFpEF in late life, independent of common comorbidities, cardiac structure and function, and prognostic biomarkers. Further studies are necessary to understand the mechanisms linking depression to risk of HFpEF.

Associations between NT-proBNP and psychosocial factors in patients with chronic systolic heart failure

OBJECTIVE

B-type natriuretic peptides (BNPs) and their biologically inactive N-terminal parts, namely, NT-proBNPs, are used for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Associations of BNPs and NT-proBNPs with emotional factors may exist. As depressive and anxious comorbidities and decreases in quality of life (QoL) are common in CHF patients, we explored the associations between NT-proBNP and depression, anxiety, and QoL in patients with CHF using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

METHODS

We used baseline and one-year follow-up NT-proBNP measurements and sociodemographic and clinical data from 180 patients with systolic CHF from a case management study. Depression was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), anxiety was assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 (GAD-7), and QoL was determined using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey.

RESULTS

Univariate correlation analyses showed significant negative associations between NT-proBNP and the scores of four out of eight QoL domains (range: r = -0.159 to -0.285, p = .042 to 0.001) of the SF-36 but not between NT-proBNP and depression and anxiety scores. In cross-sectional and longitudinal multivariate regression analyses, no significant associations between NT-proBNP and psychometric variables were found.

CONCLUSION

In patients with stable, chronic systolic heart failure, only weak relations between NT-proBNP and QoL exist, but no relations between NT-proBNP and depression and anxiety were found. These findings are placed in the current research context of this topic. Implications for future experimental studies are discussed.

Bi-directional association between depression and HF: An electronic health records-based cohort study

Objective:

To determine whether a bi-directional relationship exists between depression and HF within a single population of individuals receiving primary care services, using longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs).

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study utilized EHRs for adults who received primary care services within a large healthcare system in 2006. Validated EHR-based algorithms identified 10,649 people with depression (depression cohort) and 5,911 people with HF (HF cohort) between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2018. Each person with depression or HF was matched 1:1 with an unaffected referent on age, sex, and outpatient service use. Each cohort (with their matched referents) was followed up electronically to identify newly diagnosed HF (in the depression cohort) and depression (in the HF cohort) that occurred after the index diagnosis of depression or HF, respectively. The risks of these outcomes were compared (vs. referents) using marginal Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for 16 comorbid chronic conditions.

Results:

2,024 occurrences of newly diagnosed HF were observed in the depression cohort and 944 occurrences of newly diagnosed depression were observed in the HF cohort over approximately 4–6 years of follow-up. People with depression had significantly increased risk for developing newly diagnosed HF (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.89–2.28) and people with HF had a significantly increased risk of newly diagnosed depression (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.17–1.54) after adjusting for all 16 comorbid chronic conditions.

Conclusion:

These results provide evidence of a bi-directional relationship between depression and HF independently of age, sex, and multimorbidity from chronic illnesses.

Depressive Symptoms Are Associated with Reduced Cardiac Function Among Hispanics: Results from the PREVENCION Study

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are common among patients with heart failure and are often associated with adverse outcomes, including re-hospitalization and mortality. However, little is known about the association between depressive symptoms and subclinical markers of heart failure and cardiac function in community-based samples and little research has focused on South American Hispanics. The current study examined the cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms and cardiac function in South American Hispanic community-based adults.

METHODS

Participants included 527 adults enrolled in the Peruvian Study of Cardiovascular Disease (PREVENCION). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Markers of cardiac function were assessed by impedance cardiography and included cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume, and stroke volume index. Several multiple regression analyses were used to examine the association between depressive symptoms and markers of cardiac function.

RESULTS

In adjusted analyses, depressive symptoms were associated with reduced cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume, and stroke volume index. These associations remained significant between depressive symptoms and cardiac output (β = - 0.106, p = 0.014), cardiac index (β = - 0.099, p = 0.029), and stroke volume (β = - 0.095, p = 0.022), and a trend was still observed between depressive symptoms and stroke index (β = - 0.083, p = 0.061), even after having controlled for demographic factors (age, gender, education), cardiovascular risk factors (smoking status, body mass index, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, serum creatinine), and comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia).

CONCLUSIONS

In the PREVENCION sample tested, depressive symptoms were independently associated with cardiac function among Hispanic adults, even above and beyond pertinent factors such as demographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, and comorbidities. Future studies should determine whether depressive symptoms are prospectively associated with systolic dysfunction, and examine the bio-behavioral pathways of this association.

Depression as a Risk Factor for Developing Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

BACKGROUND

The associations of depression with incident heart failure (HF) risk based on epidemiological studies have been inconsistent.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to quantitatively estimate the relative effect of depression on the development of HF.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies published between January 1, 1950, and August 31, 2019, from PubMed, Embase, and the Science Citation Index databases. We selected prospective cohort studies reporting the relationship between depression and incident HF. Maximally adjusted hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were combined using a random-effects model. The heterogeneity across studies was calculated by the I statistic. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (number CRD42020149274).

RESULTS

Six population-based, prospective cohort studies with 4727 HF events among 131 282 participants were eligible for meta-analysis. Compared with participants reporting no depression, those with depression had a 23% increased risk of developing HF (pooled hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41). There was no significant heterogeneity across studies (χ = 7.75, df = 5, P = .17, I = 35.5%).

CONCLUSION

Published literature supports a significant association of depression with an increased incidence of HF in the general population.

Heart Failure Symptom Biology in Response to Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

BACKGROUND

We have a limited understanding of the biological underpinnings of symptoms in heart failure (HF), particularly in response to left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to quantify the degree to which symptoms and biomarkers change in parallel from before implantation through the first 6 months after LVAD implantation in advanced HF.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of 101 patients receiving an LVAD for the management of advanced HF. Data on symptoms (dyspnea, early and subtle symptoms [HF Somatic Perception Scale], pain severity [Brief Pain Inventory], wake disturbance [Epworth Sleepiness Scale], depression [Patient Health Questionnaire], and anxiety [Brief Symptom Inventory]) and peripheral biomarkers of myocardial stretch, systemic inflammation, and hypervolumetric mechanical stress were measured before implantation with a commercially available LVAD and again at 30, 90, and 180 days after LVAD implantation. Latent growth curve and parallel process modeling were used to describe changes in symptoms and biomarkers and the degree to which they change in parallel in response to LVAD implantation.

RESULTS

In response to LVAD implantation, changes in myocardial stretch were closely associated with changes in early and subtle physical symptoms as well as depression, and changes in hypervolumetric stress were closely associated with changes in pain severity and wake disturbances. Changes in systemic inflammation were not closely associated with changes in physical or affective symptoms in response to LVAD implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide new insights into the many ways in which symptoms and biomarkers provide concordant or discordant information about LVAD response.

NT-proBNP is a potential mediator between reduced ejection fraction and depression in patients with heart failure

Depression and anxiety are prevalent in patients with heart failure (HF). Reduced ejection fraction (EF) and increased N-terminal-prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) have been shown to be independently associated with depressive symptoms and may therefore increase HF disease progression and mortality. This study evaluated whether NT-proBNP mediated the impact of reduced EF on depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with HF. Participants (n = 124) were patients with a diagnosis of chronic HF enrolled in the Heart Failure Disease Management Program at Health Sciences North. Subjects were assessed for depressive and anxiety symptoms according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire at enrolment. Ejection fraction, measured through Multigated Acquisition Technique and NT-proBNP, measured through chemiluminescent immunoassay, were obtained at baseline. Patient outcomes were monitored for 12-months after enrollment. Associations were determined using regression and multivariate models. Indirect effects were assessed using mediation analysis. EF and NT-proBNP were highly correlated. Mediation analysis showed no significant direct effect of EF on the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, however, there was a significant indirect effect of EF on depression that was mediated by the levels of NT-proBNP, but not for EF and anxiety. Our results suggest that NT-proBNP is a potential mechanism linking reduced EF and depressive symptoms in patients with HF. While results are still preliminary, this study suggests that NT-proBNP may be a potential biomarker in identifying HF patients with reduced EF at high risk for depression, disease progression and mortality.

Palliative Care in Heart Failure

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review illustrates the dynamic role of palliative care in heart failure management and encapsulates the commonly utilized pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapeutic strategies for symptom palliation in heart failure. In addition, we provide our experience regarding patient care issues common to the domain of heart failure and palliative medicine which are commonly encountered by heart failure teams.

RECENT FINDINGS

Addition of palliative care to conventional heart failure management plan results in improvement in quality of life, anxiety, depression, and spiritual well-being among patients. Palliative care should not be confused with hospice care. Palliative care teams should be involved early in the care of heart failure patients with the aims of improving symptom palliation, discussing goals of care and improving quality of life without compromising utilization of evidence-based heart failure therapies. A consensus on the appropriate timing of involvement and evidence for many symptom palliation therapies is still emerging.

Depression as Measured by PHQ-9 Versus Clinical Diagnosis as an Independent Predictor of Long-Term Mortality in a Prospective Cohort of Medical Inpatients

BACKGROUND

Depression has been associated with higher rates of mortality in medical patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of depression in medical inpatients on the rate of mortality during a prolonged follow-up period.

METHOD

This is a prospective follow-up study of a cohort of medical inpatients assessed during 1997-1998 in medical and surgical units at a tertiary university hospital in Spain and followed-up for a period ranging between 16.5 and 18 years. Eight hundred three patients were included; 420 (52.3%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 41.7 (13.8) years. Main outcome was death for any cause during follow-up. The original full Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) was administered at baseline as self-report from which the PHQ-9 was derived. Depressive disorders were assessed using PHQ-9 and a structured clinical interview (Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition).

RESULTS

Depressive disorders as defined by PHQ-9 were detected in 206 patients (25.7%), 122 (15.2%) of them fulfilling criteria for major depression. During follow-up, 152 patients (18.9%) died. A PHQ score indicating the presence of major depressive disorder predicted increased mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.44; 95% CI, 1.39-4.29), even after adjusting for important demographic and clinical variables. Similarly, the PHQ-9 score as a continuous measure of depression severity predicted increased mortality (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.10). Results were similar for clinical interview diagnoses of major depression (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.04-4.09).

CONCLUSIONS

Medical inpatients with a PHQ depressive disorder had a nearly 2-fold higher risk of long-term mortality, even after adjustment for several confounders. Depression severity as represented by the PHQ-9 score was also a risk factor.

Depression increases the risk of mortality in patients with heart failure: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Depression is a risk factor for mortality in cardiovascular diseases. Prior studies confirm that depression predicts adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). However, data were inconclusive regarding the effect of depression on mortality. This meta-analysis examines the relationship between depression and mortality in HF.

METHODS

Prospective studies of depression and mortality in HF published between 1999 and April 2016 were located using PubMed, PsychINFO, and MEDLINE. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used to compute an aggregated effect size estimates of hazard ratios and to conduct subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. For 8 aggregated univariate and 14 multivariate estimates, depressive symptoms were related to all-cause mortality. A pooled HR of 3 multivariate analyses indicated that depressive symptoms were not linked to cardiovascular mortality. In subgroup analyses, depression predicted all-cause mortality in samples with a mean age >65. The impact of depression on all-cause mortality also differed by follow-up duration, with samples with shorter follow-up durations demonstrating a larger effect.

CONCLUSIONS

In HF, depression is related to increased all-cause mortality risk, with stronger effects in samples with shorter follow-up and in older adults. In older adults, depression may serve as a marker of more severe HF. However, this possibility is difficult to examine given inconsistent adjustment for HF severity. Additional studies may assist in determining the relationship between depression and cardiovascular mortality, as the low number of studies examining cardiovascular mortality may have precluded detection of an effect.

Depression and markers of inflammation as predictors of all-cause mortality in heart failure

BACKGROUND

In patients with heart failure (HF) depressive symptoms have been associated with mortality, as well as biological risk factors, including inflammation, nitric oxide (NO) regulation, and oxidative stress. We investigated the joint predictive value of depressive symptoms, inflammation and NO regulation on all-cause mortality in patients with HF, adjusted for covariates.

METHODS

Serum levels of inflammation (TNFα, sTNFr1, sTNFr2, IL-6, hsCRP, NGAL), NO regulation (l-arginine, ADMA, and SDMA), and oxidative stress (isoprostane 8-Epi Prostaglandin F2 Alpha) were measured in 104 patients with HF (mean age 65.7±SD 8.4years, 28% women). Depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) were measured as continuous total, cognitive, and somatic symptoms, as well as categorized presence of mild/moderate depression (cut-off BDI ⩾10). In Cox proportional hazard models we adjusted for age, sex, poor exercise tolerance and comorbidity.

RESULTS

After on average 6.1years follow-up (SD=2.9, range 0.4-9.2), 49 patients died. Total and somatic depressive symptoms, mild/moderate depression, higher NGAL, sTNFr2, IL-6, hsCRP and SDMA serum levels were significantly associated with a higher all-cause mortality rate, adjusted for covariates. The findings were most consistent for CRP level and somatic depressive symptoms. When combined, both depressive symptoms and markers of inflammation and NO regulation remained significantly associated with all-cause mortality. These associations were not confounded by age, sex, poor exercise tolerance and comorbidity.

CONCLUSION

Depressive symptoms and markers of inflammation and NO regulation are codominant risk factors for all-cause mortality in heart failure.

Mortality Risk Among Heart Failure Patients With Depression: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

The prevalence of depression is 4‐ to 5‐fold higher in heart failure patients than in the general population. We examined the influence of depression on all‐cause mortality in patients with heart failure.

Methods and Results

Using Danish medical registries, this nationwide population‐based cohort study included all patients with a first‐time hospitalization for heart failure (1995–2014). All‐cause mortality risks and 19‐year mortality rate ratios were estimated based on Cox regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, time period, comorbidity, and socioeconomic status. The analysis included 9636 patients with and 194 887 patients without a diagnosis of depression. Compared with patients without a history of depression, those with depression had higher 1‐year (36% versus 33%) and 5‐year (68% versus 63%) mortality risks. Overall, the adjusted mortality rate ratio was 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.06). Compared with no depression, the adjusted mortality rate ratios for mild, moderate, and severe depression, as defined by diagnostic codes, were 1.06 (95% CI 1.00–1.13), 1.03 (95% CI 0.99–1.08), and 1.02 (95% CI 0.96–1.09), respectively. In a subcohort of patients, the mortality rate ratios were modified by left ventricular ejection fraction, with adjusted mortality rate ratios of 1.17 (95% CI, 1.05–1.31) for ≤35%, 0.98 (95% CI 0.81–1.18) for 36% to 49%, and 0.96 (95% CI 0.74–1.25) for ≥50%. Results were consistent after adjustment for alcohol abuse and smoking.

Conclusions

A history of depression was an adverse prognostic factor for all‐cause mortality in heart failure patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% but not for other heart failure patients.

Depression predicts mortality and hospitalization in heart failure: A six-years follow-up study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms (DS) and its relation on hospitalization for cardiovascular (CV) causes and all-cause mortality risk among outpatients with HF.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted on 130 adult outpatients with HF. The Beck Depression Inventory Scale-second edition (BDI-II) was used to screen for DS. All-cause mortality and hospitalization for CV causes were registered over 6 years. Logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the independent prognostic value of DS on mortality and hospitalization for CV causes after adjustment for clinical risk factors.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up of 6 years, 44% of patients were classified as having DS. Sixty-two participants died for all causes, representing 61% of those with DS and 37% of those without (p=0.006); Forty-nine participants (38%) were hospitalized for CV causes, representing 49% of those with DS and 29% of those without (p=0.027). Logistic regression analysis indicated that DS predicted all-cause mortality (OR: 2.905; 95% CI:1.228-6.870; p=0.006) and multinomial logistic regression indicated that DS were predictive of hospitalization for CV causes (OR: 3.169; 95% CI: 1.230-8.164; p=0.027). These associations were independent of conventional risk factors.

LIMITATIONS

Only outpatient sample; measure of DS only at baseline; cause of death was not known.

CONCLUSION

This study, first held in a portuguese population, showed that DS are independent predictors of death and hospitalization for CV causes among HF patients and its impact persists over 6 years.

The Impact of Body Mass Index on the Link Between Depressive Symptoms and Health Outcome in Patients With Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are predictors of shorter cardiac event-free survival, whereas increased body mass index (BMI) is associated with longer cardiac event-free survival in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the impact of BMI on the link between depressive symptoms and cardiac event-free survival is unexplored. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiac event-free survival differs among HF patients stratified by BMI tertiles.

METHODS

A total of 297 outpatients with HF completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess depressive symptoms. Body mass index was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Patients were followed for 1 year to determine cardiac event-free survival. Cox proportional hazard regression with survival curves was used to determine the relationships among depressive symptoms, BMI, and cardiac event-free survival.

RESULTS

Both depressive symptoms (P < .001) and lower BMI (P = .002) are independent predictors of shorter cardiac event-free survival after controlling for age, gender, etiology, total comorbidity scores, ejection fraction, New York Heart Association functional class, and prescribed medications. Patients with depressive symptoms had shorter cardiac event-free survival compared with patients without depressive symptoms in the lowest (P = .001) and middle (P = .036) BMI tertiles. There was no difference in cardiac event-free survival between patients with and without depressive symptoms in the highest tertile (P = .894).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher BMI has a protective role in the adverse effect of depressive symptoms on health outcomes in patients with HF.

The Predictive Value of Depressive Symptoms for All-Cause Mortality: Findings From the PRIME Belfast Study Examining the Role of Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk Markers

OBJECTIVES

To improve understanding about the potential underlying biological mechanisms in the link between depression and all-cause mortality and to investigate the role that inflammatory and other cardiovascular risk factors may play in the relationship between depressive symptoms and mortality.

METHODS

Depression and blood-based biological markers were assessed in the Belfast PRIME prospective cohort study (N = 2389 men, aged 50-59 years) in which participants were followed up for 18 years. Depression was measured using the 10-item Welsh Pure Depression Inventory. Inflammation markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], neopterin, interleukin [IL]-1 receptor antagonist [IL-1Ra], and IL-18) and cardiovascular-specific risk factors (N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide, midregion pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, midregion pro-adrenomedullin, C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 [CT-proET]) were obtained at baseline. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling to examine the association between depression and biological measures in relation to all-cause mortality and explore the mediating effects.

RESULTS

During follow-up, 418 participants died. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with higher levels of CRP, IL-1Ra, and CT-proET. After adjustment for socioeconomic and life-style risk factors, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio = 1.10 per scale unit, 95% confidence interval = 1.04-1.16). This association was partly explained by CRP (7.3%) suggesting a minimal mediation effect. IL-1Ra, N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide, midregion pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, midregion pro-adrenomedullin, and CT-proET contributed marginally to the association between depression and subsequent mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Inflammatory and cardiovascular risk markers are associated with depression and with increased mortality. However, depression and biological measures show additive effects rather than a pattern of meditation of biological factors in the association between depression and mortality.

Psychosocial Factors and Risk of Incident Heart Failure: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Psychosocial factors have frequently been studied as risk factors for coronary heart disease but not for HF.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We examined the relationship between psychological status and incident HF among 6782 individuals from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Anger, anxiety, chronic stress, depressive symptoms, and hostility were measured using validated scales, and physician reviewers adjudicated incident HF events. Cox proportional hazards models were used to adjust for relevant demographic, behavioral, and physiological covariates. Interactions by age, race, sex, and self-reported health were examined in exploratory analyses. During a mean follow-up of 9.3 years, 242 participants developed incident HF. There was no association between psychosocial factors and HF hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for the highest versus lowest quartile: anger=1.14 (0.81-1.60), anxiety=0.74 (0.51-1.07), chronic stress=1.25 (0.90-1.72), depressive symptoms=1.19 (0.76-1.85), and hostility=0.95 (0.62-1.42). In exploratory analysis, among the participants reporting fair/poor health at baseline, those reporting high versus low levels of anxiety, chronic stress, and depressive symptoms had 2-fold higher risk of incident HF, but there was no association for those with good/very good/excellent self-reported health.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these psychosocial factors were not significantly associated with incident HF. However, for participants reporting poor health at baseline, there was evidence that anxiety, chronic stress, and depressive symptoms were associated with increased risk of HF. Future research with greater statistical power is necessary to replicate these findings and seek explanations.

Clinical and Prognostic Value of Depressive Symptoms and N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Patients With Eisenmenger Syndrome

OBJECTIVES

Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) is commonly associated with depressive symptoms and elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). We investigated the predictive value of depressive symptoms and NTproBNP levels for long-term outcomes in patients with ES.

METHODS

Blood was drawn to measure NT-proBNP, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in an outpatient clinic sample of 64 patients with ES (67% female; median age = 41.5 years [range, 21.0-74.8 years]). Cardiac events (hospitalization, emergency department visits, and cardiac death) were monitored during 3 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

During the follow-up period, 15 (23.4%) patients experienced a cardiac event. The combination of depressive symptoms and NT-proBNP levels better predicted future cardiac events than either variable alone. Patients with NT-proBNP > 510 pg/ml and a total BDI score > 10 had a 9.6 times higher risk for cardiac events than did patients with NT-proBNP ≤ 510 pg/ml or total BDI score ≤ 10 (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms and NT-proBNP levels are both associated with adverse clinical outcomes in ES.

BNP and NT-proBNP as prognostic markers in persons with chronic stable heart failure

Prognosis permits clinicians to separate persons with heart failure (HF) into subgroups based on likely health outcomes. Treatment is partly guided by these likely outcomes. This systematic review explores whether brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are independent predictors of prognosis in persons with chronic stable HF. We electronically searched Medline, Embase, AMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and CINAHL for English-language articles published between 1989 and mid-2012. We utilized trained reviewers and standardized forms to screen articles for inclusion and extracted data from included articles. All included studies were summarized in narrative and tabular form. We used the Hayden criteria to assess the risk of bias. Sixteen BNP publications and 88 NT-proBNP publications were included in the systematic review. BNP was positively associated with all-cause and HF mortality. NT-proBNP was positively associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. BNP and NT-proBNP levels are useful for estimating prognosis in persons with chronic stable HF. Further research is required to establish optimal cutpoints and to assess whether prognostic effects differ by age, sex, or time period.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression and risk of heart failure: the HUNT Study

AIMS

Symptoms of anxiety and depression often co-exist with cardiovascular disease, yet little is known about the prospective risk for heart failure (HF) in people with symptoms of depression and anxiety. We aimed to study these prospective associations using self-reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, and mixed symptoms of anxiety and depression (MSAD) in a large population sample.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In the second wave of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 2, 1995-1997), Norway, baseline data on symptoms of anxiety and depression, socio-demographic variables, health status including cardiovascular risk factors, and common chronic somatic diseases were registered for 62,567 adults, men and women, free of known HF. The cohort was followed for incident HF from baseline throughout 2008. A total of 1499 cases of HF occurred during a mean follow-up of 11.3 years (SD = 2.9), identified either in hospital registers or by the National Cause of Death Registry. There was no excess risk for future HF associated with symptoms of anxiety or MSAD at baseline. For depression, the multi-adjusted hazard ratios for HF were 1.07 (0.87-1.30) for moderate symptoms and 1.41 (1.07-1.87) for severe symptoms (P for trend 0.026). Established cardiovascular risk factors, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) prior to baseline, and adjustment for incident AMI as a time-dependent covariate during follow-up had little influence on the estimates.

CONCLUSION

Symptoms of depression, but not symptoms of anxiety or MSAD, were associated with increased risk for HF in a dose-response manner. The increased risk could not be fully explained by cardiovascular or socio-economic risk factors, or by co-morbid AMI.

Depression after heart failure and risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate whether depression after heart failure (HF) was a predictor for subsequent cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in prospective observational studies.

METHODS

Pubmed, Embase, and PsycInfo databases were searched for prospective studies reported depression after HF and subsequent risk of cardiovascular or all-cause mortality (prior to May 2013). Pooled adjust hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated separately for categorical risk estimates.

RESULTS

Nine studies with 4012 HF patients were identified and analyzed. Pooled HR of all-cause mortality was 1.51 (95% CI 1.19-1.91) for depression compared with non-depressive patients. Subgroup analyses showed that major depression significantly increased all-cause mortality (HR=1.98, 95% CI 1.23-3.19), but not mild depression (HR=1.04, 95% CI 0.75-1.45). Pooled HR of cardiovascular mortality was 2.19 (95% CI 1.46-3.29) for depression compared with non-depressive patients.

CONCLUSION

Major depression after HF was a predictor for subsequent all-cause mortality, but not mild depression. More well-designed studies are needed to explore the influence of depression and antidepressant medication use on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in HF patients.

Depressive symptoms and cardiovascular burden-related mortality among the aged

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms have been linked to increased cardiovascular mortality among the elderly. This study was aimed to test the independent and additive predictive value of depressive symptoms and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), a marker of direct cardiovascular stress and a strong predictor of mortality, together with traditional cardiovascular risk markers on total and cardiovascular mortalities in a general elderly population.

METHODS

A total of 508 subjects aged 75 or older participated in the study. The prognostic capacity of depressive symptoms and BNP in regard to total and cardiovascular mortalities was assessed with Cox regression analyses. Depressive symptoms were handled as a dichotomous variable based on the Zung self-rated depression scale score with a cut-off point of 40.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 84 months with an interquartile range of 36-99 months. Depressive symptoms reflected susceptibility to all-cause (HR 1·60; 95% CI 1·26-2·04) and cardiovascular mortalities (HR 1·81; 95% CI 1·30-2·52) only in univariable analyses. When cardiovascular illnesses and risk markers were taken into account, depressive symptoms lost their significance as an independent predictor of mortality. BNP as a continuous variable was a significant predictor of both all-cause (HR 1·44; 95% CI 1·22-1·69) and cardiovascular mortalities (HR 1·79; 95% CI 1·44-2·22) in fully adjusted models including depressive symptoms as a covariate.

CONCLUSIONS

The prognostic capacity of depressive symptoms is closely linked to cardiovascular morbidity and has no independent power in an elderly general population. BNP remains a strong harbinger of death regardless of depressive symptoms status.

Depression is the strongest predictor of long-term outcome in patients with chronic nonischemic heart failure

Introduction

Despite advances in medicine, chronic heart failure (CHF) still remains a significant clinical problem associated with poor outcome.

Aim of the study

To determine risk factors for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in three-year follow-up in patients with CHF of nonischemic etiology.

Material and methods

The prospective study included consecutive hospitalized patients with stable CHF (LVEDD > 57 mm; LVEF < 40%) and symptom duration > 6 months. Study exclusion criteria were: serious neurological and/or psychiatric diseases, stenoses in epicardial coronary arteries in coronarography, active myocarditis confirmed by myocardial biopsy, diseases of the respiratory system with pulmonary hypertension, presence of heart defects, neoplastic or connective tissue disease, documented infectious diseases at least three months before inclusion in the study, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease (eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m²), alcoholism, planned heart transplantation. Depression severity was assessed with the Beck and the Hamilton Scales. Depression was diagnosed based on the ICD-10 criteria. Clinical follow-up began on admission and lasted three years.

Results

The analysis encompassed 199 patients aged 49 (41-54), who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Depression was diagnosed in 30% of the patients. Independent factors increasing the risk of MACE (death, transplantation, ventricular assist device, hospitalization) were: depression (HR: 2.26; p < 0.001), E/A index (HR: 1.31; p < 0.01), right ventricular dimension (HR: 1.06; p < 0.01), hsCRP level (HR: 1.06; p < 0.01) and alkaline phosphatase activity in blood serum (HR: 1.01; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Factors affecting 3-year outcome are: depression, right ventricular dimension, the E/A index, alkaline phosphatase activity and the level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).

Depression and cardiovascular disorders

During the past two decades, research in the field of depression and cardiovascular disorders has exploded. Multiple studies have demonstrated that depression is more prevalent in populations with cardiovascular disease, is a robust risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in healthy populations, and is predictive of adverse outcomes (such as myocardial infarction and death) among populations with preexisting cardiovascular disease. Mechanistic studies have shown that poor health behaviors, such as physical inactivity, medication nonadherence, and smoking, strongly contribute to this association. Small randomized trials have found that antidepressant therapies may improve cardiac outcomes. Based on this accumulating evidence, the American Heart Association has recommended routine screening for depression in all patients with coronary heart disease. This review examines the key epidemiological literature on depression and cardiovascular disorders and discusses our current understanding of the mechanisms responsible for this association. We also examine current recommendations for screening, diagnosis, and management of depression. We conclude by highlighting new research areas and discussing therapeutic management of depression in patients with cardiovascular disorders.

Nondisease-specific problems and all-cause mortality in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between six nondisease-specific problems (problems that cross multiple domains of health) and mortality in middle-aged and older adults.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational cohort.

SETTING

U.S. population sample.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants included 23,669 black and white U.S. adults aged 45 and older enrolled in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.

MEASUREMENTS

Nondisease-specific problems included cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, exhaustion, falls, impaired mobility, and polypharmacy. Age-stratified (<65, 65-74, ≥ 75) hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were calculated for each problem individually and according to number of problems.

RESULTS

One or more nondisease-specific problems occurred in 40% of participants younger than 65, 45% of those aged 65 to 74, and 55% of those aged 75 and older. Compared with participants with none of these problems, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality associated with each additional nondisease-specific problem was 1.34 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23-1.46) for participants younger than 65, 1.24 (95% CI = 1.15-1.35) for those aged 65 to 74, and 1.30 (95% CI = 1.21-1.39) for those aged 75 and older.

CONCLUSION

Nondisease-specific problems were associated with mortality across a wide age spectrum. Future studies should explore whether treating these problems will improve survival and identify innovative healthcare models to address multiple nondisease-specific problems simultaneously.

Association of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide with cognitive function and depression in elderly people with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with risk of congestive heart failure (CHF), cognitive dysfunction and depression. CHF itself is linked both to poor cognition and depression. The ventricular N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a marker of CHF, suggesting potential as a marker for cognitive impairment and/or depression. This was tested in the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study (ET2DS).

METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Cross-sectional analysis of 1066 men and women aged 60-75 with type 2 diabetes. Results from seven neuropsychological tests were combined in a standardised general cognitive ability factor, 'g'. A vocabulary-based test estimated pre-morbid cognitive ability. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) assessed possible depression. After adjustment for age and sex, raised plasma NT-proBNP was weakly associated with lower 'g' and higher depression scores (ß -0.09, 95% CI -0.13 to -0.03, p = 0.004 and ß 0.08, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.12, p<0.001, respectively). Comparing extreme quintiles of NT-proBNP, subjects in the highest quintile were more likely to have reduced cognitive ability (within the lowest tertile of 'g') and 'possible' depression (HADS depression ≥8) (OR 1.80; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.70; p = 0.005 and OR 2.18; 95% CI: 1.28, 3.71; p = 0.004, respectively). Associations persisted when pre-morbid ability was adjusted for, but as expected were no longer statistically significant following the adjustment for diabetes-related and vascular co-variates (β -0.02, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.03, p>0.05 for 'g'; β 0.03, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.07, p>0.05 for depression scores).

CONCLUSION

Raised plasma NT-proBNP was weakly but statistically significantly associated with poorer cognitive function and depression. The prospective phases of the ET2DS will help determine whether or not NT-proBNP can be considered a risk marker for subsequent cognitive impairment and incident depression and whether it provides additional information over and above traditional risk factors for these conditions.

Association between psychological measures and brain natriuretic peptide in heart failure patients

OBJECTIVE

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a promising marker for heart failure diagnosis and prognosis. Although psychological factors also influence heart failure (HF) prognosis, this might be attributed to confounding by BNP. Our aim was to examine the association between multiple psychological markers using a prospective study design with repeated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) measurements.

DESIGN

The sample comprised 94 outpatients with systolic HF (80% men; mean age =62.2 ± 9.3). The psychological markers (i.e., anxiety, depression, and Type D personality), assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Type D Scale (DS14) were assessed only at baseline. Plasma NT-proBNP levels were measured at baseline and at 9 months.

RESULTS

The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and Type D personality at baseline was 23.4% (HADS-A), 17.0% (HADS-D), 46.6% (BDI), and 21.3% (DS14), respectively. At baseline, none of the psychological risk markers were associated with NT-proBNP levels (all p >.05). In the subset of patients with scores on psychological risk markers both at baseline and at 9 months, there were no association between anxiety (p =0.44), depression (HADS-D: p =0.90; BDI: p =0.85), and Type D (p =0.63) with NT-proBNP levels using ANOVA for repeated measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that measures frequently used in HF to assess psychological risk markers are unconfounded by NT-proBNP. Futher studies are warranted to replicate these findings and examine whether psychological risk markers are independent predictors of prognosis in HF or an artifact that may be attributed to other biological or behavioral mechanisms.

Emotional distress, positive affect, and mortality in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the relationship between emotional distress and mortality in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Our aim was to examine the predictive value of general negative and positive affect, and depressive symptoms (including its components somatic symptoms and cognitive-affective symptoms) for mortality.

METHODS

ICD patients (N=591, 81% male, mean age=62.7 ± 10.1 years) completed the Global Mood Scale to measure the independent dimensions negative and positive mood, and the Beck Depression Inventory to measure depressive symptoms. Covariates consisted of demographic and clinical variables.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up of 3.2 years, 96 (16.2%) patients died. After controlling for covariates, negative affect was significantly related to all-cause mortality (HR=1.034, p=0.002), whereas positive affect was not (HR=1.007, p=0.61). Depressive symptoms were also independently associated with an increased mortality risk (HR=1.031, p=0.030) and somatic symptoms of depression in particular (HR=1.130, p=0.003), but cognitive-affective symptoms were not associated with mortality (HR=0.968, p=0.29). When entering both significant psychological predictors in a covariate-adjusted model, negative mood remained significant (HR=1.039, p=0.009), but somatic symptoms of depression did not (HR=0.988, p=0.78). Similar results were found for cardiac-related death. Of covariates, increased age, CRT, appropriate shocks were positively related to death.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative affect in general was related to mortality, but reduced positive affect was not. Depression, particularly its somatic symptoms, was also related to mortality, while cognitive-affective symptoms were not. Future research may further focus on the differential predictive value of emotional distress factors, as well as on mechanisms that relate emotional distress factors to mortality.