Short-term heart rate variability in older patients with newly diagnosed depression.
Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system has been considered to be a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to evaluate short-term heart rate variability (HRV) in elderly patients with newly diagnosed MDD. Thirty MDD patients over 60 years old newly diagnosed by a structured interview were enrolled, free from antidepressants. Socio-demographic data, blood tests, and heart rate variability (HRV) obtained from 5-min ECG were gathered. The MDD group showed significantly lower very low frequency power, low frequency power, high frequency power, and total power in frequency domain. In time domain analysis, the MDD group showed a significantly smaller standard deviation of the NN, root mean square of the differences of the successive NN, and NN50/total number of all NNs. These findings demonstrated a lower HRV in older patients who were newly diagnosed with depression without a history of CVD and antidepressants effect, compared with the control subjects. Low HRV may be an important predictor of both MDD and CVD in elderly. The use of HRV in elderly depressive patients could be a meaningful screening method for risk of CVD.
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jee Hyun
JH
Ha
Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Soyeon
S
Park
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Daehyun
D
Yoon
Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Stress Clinic, Health Promotion Center, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: j993601@gmail.com.
Byungsu
B
Kim
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
Autonomic nervous system; Depression; HRV; Heart rate variability; Old age