Background: Persistence of depressive symptoms after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with an adverse outcome. The relationship between depression and Invasive Revascularization Therapy (IRT) is not yet fully understood.
Aim: To compare the frequency of depressive symptoms and other psychosocial variables among patients with MI, undergoing or not undergoing IRT.
Material and methods: Prospective evaluation of 45 patients aged 58 +/- 11 years (87% males) with a diagnosis of MI (Killip I and II). On admission to hospital and at follow up 3 months after discharge, all patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Zung Anxiety Inventory (ASI), and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) social support survey. Depressive symptoms were considered to be present if the BDI score was over 10.
Results: Thirty seven percent were hypertensive, 15% diabetic and 44% smokers. Sixty four percent of patients underwent IRT (11.1% revascularization surgery and 53.3% coronary angioplasty). Forty four percent of patients scored over 10 in the BDI at baseline assessment and 26.5% at 3 months follow-up (p < 0.01). At baseline BDI score was 10.2 +/- 5.1 and 9.1 +/- 4.4 among patients subjected or not subjected to IRT, respectively (NS). The figures at 3 months of follow up were 9.9 +/- 5.6 and 4.1 +/- 2.5, respectively (p < 0.01). At baseline and three months BDI, anxiety and perceived social support were significantly correlated.
Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were frequent after MI in this group of patients, and decreased at follow up only among patients not subjected to IRT.