Depressive symptoms in persons with acute coronary syndrome: specific symptom scales and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

To determine which particular depressive symptom scales, derived from three scales, predicted poorer prognosis in persons with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

Hospitalized ACS patients (n=408) completed questionnaires (depression, vital exhaustion). Mokken scaling derived unidimensional scales. Major cardiac events (cardiac mortality, ACS, unplanned revascularization) were assessed at median 67 weeks post event.

RESULTS

Only depressive symptoms of fatigue-sadness predicted prognosis in univariate (hazard ratio [HR]=1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.0, P=.025) and multivariate analysis (HR=1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.9, P=.025). Symptoms of anhedonia (HR=1.6, 95% CI 0.9-2.8, P=.102) and depressive cognitions (HR=1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.2, P=.402) did not.

CONCLUSION

Symptoms of fatigue-sadness, but not other symptoms, were associated with increased risk of major cardiac events. Depression should be considered as a multidimensional, rather than a unidimensional, entity when designing interventions.