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Is depression a risk factor for heart complaints? Longitudinal aspects in the Zurich study
Dominique Eich1, Christoph Neuhaus, Alex Gamma
1Department of Clinical and Social Psychiatry, Zurich University Psychiatric Hospital, Lenggstrasse 31, PO Box 1931, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland. dominique.eich@puk.zh.ch
Background:
The objective of this longitudinal study was to assess the association between major depression and heart complaints in a population of young and healthy adults.
Methods:
Starting at the age 20/21, participants of the Zurich Study underwent 6 structured, psychological interviews during a span of 20 years. We evaluated longitudinal data from 277 persons who participated in all 6 interviews including questions about heart complaints.
Results:
Over 20 years, heart complaints were reported by two thirds of participants, and the frequency of depression was 11.4%. At the age of 40/ 41, heart complaints were significantly associated with earlier heart complaints and major depression, both more often in women. Recurrent brief depression showed a tendency, but neither minor depression nor depressive symptoms were predictive for later heart complaints.
Conclusions:
This study suggests that major depression is a predictor for heart complaints at the age of 40 and that the severity of depressive disorder in younger age has an effect on subsequent heart complaints. Follow-up data will help to elucidate whether these subjective heart complaints show any correlation with a later coronary heart disease.
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