[Depression and Acute Coronary Syndromes: gender-related differences]

Abstract

Objective: Investigate whether social and demographic characteristics, clinical diagnosis, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and anxiety are associated with depression in patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) stratified by gender.

Methods: Three hundred forty-five consecutive patients with unstable myocardial ischemic syndrome (206 with myocardial infarction and 139 with unstable angina) were interviewed. The interviews included questions about sociodemographics, smoking status, screening for depression (Prime MD e BDI), trait and state anxiety, (IDATE), and alcohol consumption (AUDIT).

Results: Diagnosis of depression has significantly correlated with female gender, age under 50 years, and higher average scores on trait anxiety and state anxiety. Depressed men (245) were usually younger than 50 years of age, smokers and had higher average score on trait anxiety and state anxiety than those non-depressed. The multivariate analysis highlights that age is negatively associated with depression (OR 0.9519 95% CI 0.9261 - 0.9784) and that higher scores on trait anxiety are positively associated (OR 1.0691 95% CI 1.0375 - 1.1017) with depression in the male gender. In the female sample (100), depressed women differ from non-depressed women in that they have a higher average score on trait anxiety and state anxiety. In the multivariate analysis of the female sample, a higher score on trait anxiety was independently associated with depression (OR 1.1267 95% CI 1.0632 - 1.1940).

Conclusion: It was concluded that, among hospitalized patients with ACS, women, as well as men under 50 years and who suffer from anxiety are more likely to experience depression.