Relationship between cardiopulmonary fitness and depressive symptoms in cardiac rehabilitation patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To identify independent predictors of depressive symptoms in a cohort of patients with coronary artery disease entering cardiac rehabilitation.


METHODS
Cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
Consecutive patients entering a cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention programme underwent screening for depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale and cardiopulmonary fitness testing to quantify peak oxygen consumption.


RESULTS
Of the 366 patients with coronary artery disease, 22.3% reported at least mild (CES-D > or = 16) and 10.4% reported significant (CES-D > or = 23) depressive symptoms. Antidepressant medications were being used by 6.3% of patients. Sociodemographic, cardiopulmonary and cardiac characteristics, and medical co-morbidities previously associated with depression accounted for 14.7% of the variance in a multiple linear regression model (F = 8.713, p < 0.001) predicting CES-D scores. Significant independent predictors of CES-D scores were lower peak oxygen consumption, younger age, female sex, lower maximum diastolic blood pressure, angina pectoris and antidepressant use.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced physical fitness, younger age, female sex and ischaemic symptoms of coronary artery disease predict higher depressive symptoms in patients entering cardiac rehabilitation.
Swardfager
Walter
W
Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Herrmann
Nathan
N
Dowlati
Yekta
Y
Oh
Paul
P
Kiss
Alex
A
Lanctôt
Krista L
KL
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011379:Prognosis