The quality of sleep in coronary artery disease patients with and without anxiety and depressive symptoms

Abstract

Objective: Although psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression, can affect the quality of sleep, there is scant research on the link between decreased sleep quality and mental health in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. This study aimed to explore the quality of sleep in CAD patients with and without abnormal anxiety and depressive complaints.

Methods and results: In a cross-sectional setting, 163 CAD patients were consecutively selected. Using Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), patients were divided into the following 4 groups: I(anx) (subjects with abnormal anxiety symptoms, n = 34), II(anx) (subjects without abnormal anxiety symptoms, n = 129), I(dep) (subjects with abnormal depressive symptoms, n = 34), and II(dep) (subjects without abnormal depressive symptoms, n = 129). Subsequently, sleep quality was compared between the study groups by means of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were significantly (PSQI). Mean values of total PSQI score, subjective sleep quality, sleep latency and sleep disturbances in group I(anx) were significantly poorer than those in group II(anx). Also, mean values of total PSQI score and daytime dysfunction in group I(dep) were significantly poorer than those in group II(dep).

Conclusions: This study shows that there is a significant association between decreased quality of sleep and abnormal anxiety and depressive symptoms in CAD patients. Thus, we recommend that physicians check for the presence of the other related symptom when encountering patients with one of these complaints.