A baseline Geriatric Depression Score ≥6 in hypertensive patients aged ≥80 years was associated with increased risks of all-cause mortality (HR 1.8; 95% CI 1.4-2.3) and cardiovascular mortality.
Cohort (n=2,656)
Is depression associated with increased mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, and incident dementia in hypertensive patients aged 80 and over?
In very elderly hypertensive patients, baseline depression is strongly associated with an increased risk of subsequent fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.
Effect estimate: HR 1.8 (95% CI 1.4-2.3)
BACKGROUND: depression is common in elderly people and may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk and incident dementia. METHOD: participants in the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET) completed a depression screening instrument, the Geriatric Depression Score (GDS), at baseline and annually. We examined the association of GDS score with incident stroke, mortality and dementia using Cox proportional hazards models (hazard ratios, HR and 95% confidence intervals, CI) adjusted for treatment group and other potential confounders. RESULTS: 2,656 HYVET participants completed the GDS. The mean follow-up was 2.1 years. A GDS score > or =6 was associated with increased risks of all-cause (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.4-2.3) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 2.10, 95% CI 1.5-3.0), all stroke (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.8) and all cardiovascular events (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.1). Risk of incident dementia also tended to be increased (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.95-1.73). Each additional GDS point at baseline also gave rise to a significantly increased risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality and dementia. CONCLUSION: there was a strong association between baseline depression scores and later fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular endpoints over a mean follow-up of 2 years in a hypertensive very elderly group. The mechanism of this association warrants further study.
Peters et al. (Sun,) conducted a cohort in Hypertension (n=2,656). Depression (GDS score ≥6) vs. No depression (GDS score <6) was evaluated on All-cause mortality (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.4-2.3). A baseline Geriatric Depression Score ≥6 in hypertensive patients aged ≥80 years was associated with increased risks of all-cause mortality (HR 1.8; 95% CI 1.4-2.3) and cardiovascular mortality.