title: Physical activity after myocardial infarction: is it related to mental health?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical inactivity and poor mental wellbeing are associated with poorer prognoses in patients with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to analyse the cross-sectional and prospective associations between physical activity and mental wellbeing in patients with a history of myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 600 older subjects with a history of myocardial infarction (age range 60-80 years) who participated in the Alpha Omega Trial (AOT). They were tested twice at baseline and at 40 months follow-up for physical activity - with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE); depressive symptoms - with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15); and dispositional optimism - with the Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). Linear (multilevel) and logistic regression analyses were used to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physical activity was cross-sectionally associated with depressive symptoms (adjusted beta = -0.143; p = 0.001), but not with dispositional optimism (adjusted beta = 0.074; p = 0.07). We found a synchrony of change between physical activity and depressive symptoms (adjusted beta = -0.155; p < 0.001), but not with dispositional optimism (adjusted beta = 0.049; p = 0.24). Baseline physical activity did not predict depressive symptoms at 40 months follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concordant inverse associations were observed for (changes) in physical activity and depressive symptoms. Physical activity did not predict depressive symptoms or low optimism.
authors.affiliation: Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden, the Netherlands. N.Rius_Ottenheim@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Nathaly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rius-Ottenheim
authors.forename: Johanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Geleijnse
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kromhout
authors.forename: Roos C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: van der Mast
authors.forename: Frans G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Zitman
authors.forename: Erik J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Giltay
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3