Effects of depression and anxiety on mortality and quality-of-life 4 months after myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of depression and anxiety on mortality and quality-of-life in patients hospitalized for an acute myocardial infarction (MI).


METHODS
Questionnaire measures of depression and anxiety were completed during hospitalization by 288 MI patients. The main outcomes were mortality and quality-of-life, assessed by the Dartmouth COOP charts, at 4 months.


RESULTS
A total of 25 patients died, 22 from cardiac causes, during the 4-month follow-up. Symptoms of depression and anxiety did not predict either cardiac or all-cause mortality. Severity of infarction, extent of heart failure, and a longer stay in hospital predicted mortality. Symptoms of depression and anxiety predicted 4-month quality-of-life among survivors, as did gender, partner status, occupational status, living alone, previous exercise behaviour, length of hospital admission, and Peel Index scores. In a multiple regression model, depression emerged as the strongest predictor of quality-of-life. State anxiety, severity of infarction, and partner status also entered the model.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither depression nor anxiety predicted mortality 4 months after MI. Both depression and anxiety predicted quality-of-life at 4 months among survivors.
Lane
D
D
School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK.
Carroll
D
D
Ring
C
C
Beevers
D G
DG
Lip
G Y
GY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology