According to some authors, increased arterial stiffness is one of the common elements in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and depression.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the role of affective disorders (anxiety and depression) as predictors of increased arterial stiffness in patients with low/moderate risk of cardiovascular complications.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 289 patients with low-to-moderate risk of cardiovascular complications. In addition to standard clinical examination, we performed volumetric sphygmography with assessment of pulse wave velocity and cardio-ankle vascular index, as well as applied the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire.

RESULTS

Mean anxiety score was 8.1±3.7, depression score — 5.6±2.9. Signs of depression (>7 points) were detected in 39% of patients, signs of anxiety (>7 points) — in 54% of cases. There were 70 (24.2%) people with severe anxiety and 18 (6.2%) ones with severe depression. Severity of anxiety and depression moderately correlated with each other (r=0.411, p<0.0001). Patients with depression were older (51.7±7.8 vs 49.3±8.9 years; p=0.03) and had a greater waist circumference (91.1±12.1 vs 95.2± 14.2 cm, p=0.03). There were no differences in gende and number of patients with hypertension. We found a correlation between depression and CAVI (r=0.360, p<0.01). Depression influenced arterial stiffness regardless of blood pressure, lipids and other biochemical parameters, gender, smoking status, anthropometric parameters, therapy and age of patients. CAVI was higher in patients with depression: 7.9 (95% CI 7.6; 8.9) versus 7.3 (95% CI 7.0; 7.6), p=0.01. There was no correlation between anxiety and CAVI.

CONCLUSION

Depression is an independent predictor of increased arterial stiffness in patients with low-to-moderate risk of cardiovascular events.