Association between C-reactive protein and generalized anxiety disorder in stable coronary heart disease patients

AIMS: Comprehensive evaluation of major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder, and MDD in conjunction with anxiety disorder in stable coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, including cardiac biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), troponin T (TnT), and amino-terminal pro-B-type brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). METHODS AND RESULTS: Cross-sectional study of a consecutive series of 120 stable CHD outpatients (n = 30 with MDD, n = 30 with anxiety disorder, n = 30 with MDD and anxiety disorder, n = 30 with no psychiatric disorder). Psychiatric diagnoses were established by using the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV). Binomial logistic regression analyses using cut-off scores of biomarkers as dependent variables showed associations between CRP and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (P = 0.04), and education (P = 0.004), whereas MDD, and MDD and anxiety disorder did not reach the significance level. TnT showed relationships with hyperlipidaemia (P = 0.009), history of obesity or overweight (P = 0.04), and education (P = 0.04). NT-proBNP was associated with type II diabetes (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: After adjusting for relevant demographic, medical, and psychiatric co-variables, CRP was associated with GAD.