Clinically significant anxiety and depression were linked to higher obesity prevalence but did not independently influence SCORE2-estimated cardiovascular risk (p=0.92 and p=0.91, respectively).
Cross-Sectional (n=3,546)
No
Does clinically significant anxiety or depression associate with major cardiovascular risk factors and SCORE2 estimated risk in a screening population?
While anxiety and depression are associated with obesity, they do not independently influence SCORE2-estimated cardiovascular risk in a screening population.
p-value: p=0.92
Abstract Background Anxiety and depression are increasingly recognized as contributors to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, yet their relationship with traditional risk factors remains unclear in systematic screening programs. This study explores the associations between clinically significant anxiety, depression, and major cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes/prediabetes, within the PREVECARDIO screening cohort, a population-based systematic program in a European capital. Purpose To investigate whether clinically significant anxiety and depression impact cardiovascular risk stratification in a systematic screening program, and to assess the potential role of mental health evaluation in cardiovascular prevention. Methods Data from 3,546 participants in the PREVECARDIO screening program conducted the previous year were analyzed. Anxiety was assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), (≥6 indicates clinically significant anxiety) and depression using the PHQ-2 questionnaire (≥3 indicating clinical relevance). Cardiovascular risk factors included BMI, HbA1c, total and LDL cholesterol. SCORE2 estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk, categorizing participants as low/moderate, high, or very high risk per ESC guidelines. Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, and chi-square tests assessed associations between psychological distress and cardiovascular risk markers. Results Among 3,546 screened individuals (mean age 61.2 ± 7.3 years; 56.7% female), 19.6% had clinically significant anxiety, which was associated with higher overweight (40.4%) and obesity (29.5%) prevalence (p = 0.004). Depression (PHQ-2 ≥3) was present in 10.3% and similarly linked to overweight and obesity (p = 0.0029). No significant differences were found in SCORE2-estimated cardiovascular risk between individuals with and without clinically significant anxiety (p = 0.92) or depression (p = 0.91), even after stratification by age and risk categories. No associations were observed between psychological distress and HbA1c, total cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol (p 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion While anxiety and depression are linked to obesity, they do not independently influence cardiovascular risk using SCORE2. However, extensive literature highlights their role in CVD through non-traditional pathways such as autonomic dysfunction, inflammation, and endothelial impairment. These findings underscore the need to integrate mental health assessments into cardiovascular screening programs for a more comprehensive risk evaluationSCORE2 by anxiety and depression status
Soler et al. (Sat,) conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiovascular risk (n=3,546). Clinically significant anxiety and depression vs. Individuals without clinically significant anxiety or depression was evaluated on SCORE2-estimated cardiovascular risk (p=0.92). Clinically significant anxiety and depression were linked to higher obesity prevalence but did not independently influence SCORE2-estimated cardiovascular risk (p=0.92 and p=0.91, respectively).
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