Depressive symptoms and spiritual wellbeing in asymptomatic heart failure patients

J Behav Med. 2015 Jun;38(3):407-15. doi: 10.1007/s10865-014-9615-0. Epub 2014 Dec 23.

Abstract

Depression adversely predicts prognosis in individuals with symptomatic heart failure. In some clinical populations, spiritual wellness is considered to be a protective factor against depressive symptoms. This study examined associations among depressive symptoms, spiritual wellbeing, sleep, fatigue, functional capacity, and inflammatory biomarkers in 132 men and women with asymptomatic stage B heart failure (age 66.5 years ± 10.5). Approximately 32 % of the patients scored ≥10 on the Beck Depression Inventory, indicating potentially clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Multiple regression analysis predicting fewer depressive symptoms included the following significant variables: a lower inflammatory score comprised of disease-relevant biomarkers (p < 0.02), less fatigue (p < 0.001), better sleep (p < 0.04), and more spiritual wellbeing (p < 0.01) (overall model F = 26.6, p < 0.001, adjusted R square = 0.629). Further analyses indicated that the meaning (p < 0.01) and peace (p < 0.01) subscales, but not the faith (p = 0.332) subscale, of spiritual wellbeing were independently associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Interventions aimed at increasing spiritual wellbeing in patients lives, and specifically meaning and peace, may be a potential treatment target for depressive symptoms asymptomatic heart failure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living / classification
  • Activities of Daily Living / psychology
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers
  • Depressive Disorder / complications
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology*
  • Fatigue / complications
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / classification
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis
  • Heart Failure / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Personality Inventory
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Religion and Psychology*
  • Spirituality*

Substances

  • Biomarkers