Heart rate variability in patients with coronary artery disease: differences in patients with higher and lower depression scores.

OBJECTIVE

This study tested the hypothesis that coronary artery disease patients with higher depression scores have lower heart rate variability during daily life.

METHOD

Thirty-three men and nine women, ranging in age from 46 to 79, with coronary artery disease and exercise-induced ischemia were studied. The standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN) and average heart rate were obtained from 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. Patients were grouped by a median split of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-D) score.

RESULTS

SDNN was lower (p = .009) and average heart rate was higher (p = .003) in patients with higher depression scores. These relationships remained substantially unaltered after statistically adjusting for the only demographic/clinical factor that varied between the groups: gender.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to the lower depression score group, those with higher depression scores had lower heart rate variability during daily life. These findings may be related to the reported relationship between depression and survival risk in patients with coronary artery disease.