Anxiety and mortality risk in community-dwelling elderly people.
BACKGROUND
There are conflicting data on the role of anxiety in predicting mortality.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the 10-year mortality risk associated with anxiety in community-dwelling elderly people.


METHODS
Using data from 718 men and 1046 women aged 65 years and over, gender-stratified associations of anxiety symptoms (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, third tertile) and current DSM-IV anxiety disorder including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and phobia with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were determined.


RESULTS
In women, mortality risk was increased for anxiety disorder and GAD in multivariate Cox models (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.53, 95% CI 1.02-2.27 and HR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.08-3.86 respectively), whereas for phobia it was nearly significant (HR = 1.52, 95% CI 0.94-2.47). Anxiety trait symptoms became non-significant as a result of the confounding effect of depressive symptoms. Anxiety disorder was associated with cardiovascular mortality in univariate analysis (HR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.16-5.07). No significant associations were found in men.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests a gender-specific association of anxiety and mortality.
Isabelle Carrière, PhD, Inserm U1061 and University of Montpellier I, Montpellier, France; Joanne Ryan, PhD, Inserm U1061 and University of Montpellier I, Montpellier, France, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Joanna Norton, PhD, Jacqueline Scali, MSc, Inserm U1061 and University of Montpellier I, Montpellier, France; Robert Stewart, PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Karen Ritchie, PhD, Inserm U1061 and University of Montpellier I, Montpellier, France, and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK; Marie Laure Ancelin, PhD, Inserm U1061 and University of Montpellier I, Montpellier, France.
Isabelle
I
Carrière
Joanne
J
Ryan
Joanna
J
Norton
Jacqueline
J
Scali
Robert
R
Stewart
Karen
K
Ritchie
Marie Laure
ML
Ancelin
D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors