Depression decreases cardiorespiratory fitness in older women.
BACKGROUND
Depression is associated with decreased physical functioning and increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Whereas physical fitness delays all-cause mortality, little is known of the exercise capacity of depressed women.


METHODS
SPPARCS is a community-based longitudinal study of physical activity and fitness in people > or =55 years. Of 1,246 women, 663 were free of known cardiac and cerebrovascular disease, and performed treadmill exercise. Most (71%) were interviewed and retested 2 years and 4 years later (55%). Two indicators of depression were used: (a) Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) > or =16; (b) use of antidepressant medication.


RESULTS
By CES-D score, 8.4% had depressive symptoms (first round). Depressed women showed lower levels of all markers of treadmill exercise [exercise duration, peak VO2, Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope (OUES)].


CONCLUSIONS
Depression is associated with impaired physical fitness and treadmill exercise performance in older women.
Hollenberg
Milton
M
Department of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. milton.hollenberg@med.va.gov
Haight
Tad
T
Tager
Ira B
IB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001823:Body Composition; D001944:Breath Tests; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis
D002245:Carbon Dioxide