Angina symptom burden associated with depression status among veterans with ischemic heart disease

Angina and depression are common in ischemic heart disease (IHD), but their association remains understudied.

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the association of 1 year change in depression with change in patient-reported outcomes of stable angina.

Five hundred sixty-nine stable angina patients completed the Seattle Angina Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) at baseline and 1 year. Participants were divided into four groups: not depressed, new onset of depression at 1 year, remitted at 1 year, and persistently depressed. Associations between depression and angina symptoms were evaluated using regression models.

Compared to those not depressed, newly depressed participants reported more angina (β = -11.7, p < 0.001) and physical limitations (β = -11.8, p < 0.001) and lower treatment satisfaction (β = -15.03, p < 0.001) and quality of life (β = -15.4, p < 0.001). Persistently depressed participants reported physical limitations (β = -7.4, p < 0.05), lower treatment satisfaction (β = -10.1, p < 0.001), and poorer quality of life (β = -10.03, p < 0.001).

Changes in depression scores and angina outcomes were significantly associated.