Depression in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: is there any relation with the risk factors for sudden death?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate whether depressive symptoms are related to the risk factors for sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).


METHODS
121 patients diagnosed as having HCM were assessed for depressive symptomatology using the Beck Depression Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and followed up for a period of 2 years. For the interview, the authors used the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III/DSM-III-R. A multidimensional longitudinal study was carried out with both somatic and psychological symptoms and signs taken into consideration. SPSS was used for the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
(1) Patients with HCM are more depressed than the general population. (2) There is no positive correlation between the occurrence of depressive symptoms and the risk factors for sudden death in patients with HCM. (3) Patients at high risk for sudden death are not more depressed than the others. (4) Time from diagnosis of the cardiac disease is not related to the presence and severity of depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with HCM are more depressed than the general population. The authors suggest that depressive symptoms and risk factors for sudden death in these patients are not related. It is important to screen for mood disorders in this patient population in order to provide an early diagnosis and treatment of the psychiatric disease.
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Artemis
A
Igoumenou
Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Athens, Greece.
Giorgos
G
Alevizopoulos
Division of Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Aris
A
Anastasakis
Ministry of Health, Greece.
Errika
E
Stavrakaki
Division of Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Pavlos
P
Toutouzas
Division of Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Christodoulos
C
Stefanadis
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; anxiety; cardiomyopathy hypertrophic; depression; psychology/psychiatry; risk factors; sudden death