title: Cardiological risk factors for depressive symptoms after a first myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect possible cardiological risk factors in the acute phase of MI for developing depressive symptoms after first MI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of cardiac and psychiatric data of 111 consecutive patients admitted with a first MI.
  
  
  METHODS
  During one year, all consecutive patients with a first MI, less than 12 hours chest pain and a maximal aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) value of at least 80 U/l, admitted to the University Hospital of Maastricht, were screened for the presence of depressive symptoms using the 90-item 'Symptom checklist' (SCL-90) questionnaire at one month post-MI. Inclusion criteria were fulfilled by 111 patients; 28 patients refused to participate in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No correlation was found between LVEF, peak ASAT, peak CK value and characteristics, location or mode of treatment of the MI and depressive symptoms post-MI. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between SCL-90 depression score and cardiac tissue loss as defined by cumulative ASAT release at 24, 48 and 72 hours after the acute event (p values 0.029, 0.028 and <0.009, respectively) at the one month post-MI screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No cardiological parameters were correlated to depressive symptoms post-MI. If there was a connection at all, this appeared to be a negative correlation between infarct size as measured by ASAT release and the occurrence of depressive symptoms at one month post-MI.
authors.forename: P M J C
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kuijpers
authors.forename: J J M H
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Strik
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lousberg
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: van de Veen
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: van Praag
authors.forename: H J J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wellens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Honig
keywords: depression; enzymes; myocardial infarction; psychosocial factors