April 21, 2004
View Full PaperVascular disease risk factors as determinants of incident depressive symptoms: a prospective community-based study
Key Result
Vascular disease and its risk factors were not specifically associated with incident depressive symptoms over 54 months of follow-up in 2,584 moderately-hypertensive volunteers.
Study Design
Type
Cohort (n=2,584)
Multicenter
Yes
Structured PICO
Do cardiovascular disease or its risk factors predict incident depressive symptoms in moderately-hypertensive volunteers?
P
Population
2,584 moderately-hypertensive volunteers followed for 54 months to assess the association between cardiovascular risk factors and incident depressive symptoms.
O
Outcome
Incident depressive symptoms measured with the Self-CARE-Dpatient reported
Cardiovascular risk factors and vascular disease do not appear to have a specific prospective association with incident depressive symptoms in moderately hypertensive patients.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The potential association between vascular disease and depression have been the focus for much clinical psychiatric research, although few epidemiological prospective studies have looked into this association. AIMS: This study explores the a priori hypothesis of a prospective association between cardiovascular disease or its risk factors and incident depressive symptoms. METHOD: A prospective primary care based study derived from a multi-centre randomized controlled trial of moderate hypertension. 2584 moderately-hypertensive volunteers were followed-up for 54 months when five assessments of depressive symptoms, vascular disease and its risk factors were made. RESULTS: We found an association between the dependent variable (incident depressive symptoms measured with the Self-CARE-D) and baseline smoker status, low serum cholesterol levels, poorer cognitive function (particularly executive dysfunction), female gender and increasing age. These associations were independent of all other cardiovascular risk factors (ECG evidence of ischaemia or arrhythmia, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, blood pressure decline along the trial and body mass index). CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support the hypothesis of a specific association between vascular disease or its risk factors and incident depressive symptoms.