Clinical correlates of depression following myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Post-MI depression increases mortality, especially in the first 18 months after MI. Identifying patients at risk for post-MI depression is therefore important. In the present study we investigated possible correlates for post-MI depression on an a priori basis.


METHODS
Based on the literature, four clinically easily attainable variables were selected as possible correlates for post-MI depression. These were prescription of benzodiazepines during acute hospitalization, cardiac complications during acute hospitalization, history of depression, and not being able to stop smoking within six months after MI. A consecutive cohort of 173 first-MI patients was screened with the SCL-90 depression scale and DSM-III-R criteria for major depression. Of this cohort 35 depressed patients were compared with 35 non-depressed post-MI patients, matched for gender, age, and severity of MI.


RESULTS
In univariate analyses, complications during hospitalisation (OR = 2.14; CI = 0.89-5.14), prescription of benzodiazepines (OR = 3.67; CI = 1.11-12.1), history of depression (OR = 3.0; CI = 0.87-10.4), and not being able to stop smoking (OR = 4.5; CI = 1.11-18.2) were clinical correlates for post-MI depression. Multivariate analyses showed that none of these variables were independent of the others in predicting depression.


CONCLUSIONS
A number of easily measurable patient characteristics identify those MI-patients at risk of post-MI depression. Further investigations should focus on the predictive value of these factors in relation to post-MI depression.
Strik
J J
JJ
Academic Hospital Maastricht/Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
Honig
A
A
Lousberg
R
R
van Os
J
J
van den Berg
E J
EJ
van Praag
H M
HM
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines