Interactions of antidepressants with concomitant medications-safety of complex therapies in multimorbidities.

Depression is the fourth most serious disease in the world. Left untreated, it is a cause of suicide attempts, emergence or exacerbation worsening of serious diseases, bodily and mental disorders, as well as increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes, and obesity, as well as endocrine and neurological diseases. Frequent coexistence of depression and other diseases requires the simultaneous use of several drugs from different therapeutic groups, which very often interact and intensify comorbidities, sometimes unrelated mechanisms. Sufficient awareness of potential drug interactions is critical in clinical practice, as it allows both to avoid disruption of proper pharmacotherapy and achieve substantive results. Therefore, this review aims to analyze the interactions of antidepressants with other concomitant medications. Against the backdrop of experimental research and a thorough analysis of the up-to-date literature, the authors discuss in detail the mechanisms and effects of action of individual drug interactions and adaptogens, including the latest antidepressants.

The interplay of oxidative stress and immune dysfunction in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and polycystic ovary syndrome: a comprehensive review.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the concomitant incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), both in terms of incidence, etiology, and clinical consequences. PCOS patients suffering from autoimmune thyroid diseases show insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, weight gain, and metabolic and reproductive complications. Studies have shown that chronic stress and its consequence, i.e. oxidative stress, play an important role in the pathomechanism of both disorders. It has also been shown that long-term exposure to stress triggers biological mechanisms, in particular related to the regulation of the inflammatory cascade, which plays a key role in autoimmune diseases. The paper is a review of the literature on the role of chronic stress, oxidative stress, and immune processes in the pathogenesis of HT and PCOS. In addition, the review is a source of knowledge about the treatment of these diseases, and in particular the use of antioxidants in therapeutic management.

Does gender affect health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes (ADDQoL) in Central European countries?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the impact of type 2 diabetes on quality of life (QoL), taking into account gender differences in relation to individual domains of Diabetes-Related Quality of Life Audit (ADDQoL) in adult men and women in Poland, the Czech Republic and Republic of Slovakia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The participants were 608 patients from the three countries, of whom 278 were women and 330 men with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The tool used was the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL). RESULTS: The overall average QoL was slightly higher in men than in women. In ADDQoL scores, mean weighted impact scores were negative for all domains. The domain which was the most affected by type 2 diabetes in both men and women from all three countries was the 'freedom to eat', while the 'living conditions' domain was the least affected. Diabetes had a slightly negative average weighted impact on most men and women - AWI<-3.0. Except for the different AWI scores in men with type 2 diabetes depending on their education, neither men nor women revealed any significant changes in terms of the impact of education, residence, marital status, smoking, hypertension, or taking anti-hypertensive drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus negatively affects all the domains of life, in both men and women in all three countries; however, this impact is insignificant. The participants assessed their quality of life as good and very good.

Kinesiophobia in Elderly Polish Patients After Ischemic Stroke, Including Frailty Syndrome.

Introduction: In patients after stroke, the relationship between the occurrence of kinesiophobia and the accompanying frailty syndrome, as well as the acceptance of the disease and the level of mood, has not been recognized so far. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of kinesiophobia in elderly Polish people after ischemic stroke, including the frailty syndrome and the associations between the prevalence of kinesiophobia and feelings of anxiety and degree of the illness acceptance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to achieve the study objectives. The study involved 152 hospitalized patients aged of minimum 60 (mean age 63), qualified for post-stroke rehabilitation, including 76 women and 76 men. The patients were divided into two groups, with kinesiophobia (119 persons) and without kinesiophobia (33 persons). The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) were used. Study results were calculated using MedCalc Software. Results: Kinesiophobia has been demonstrated in 78% of people after ischemic stroke. The values of TFI and HADS were higher in the patients with kinesiophobia (p<0.001). In patients with ischemic stroke, it was shown that the level of kinesiophobia increased with higher anxiety (p<0.001), higher total TFI score, (p<0.05), and a lower level of illness acceptance (p<0.001). Conclusion: The occurrence of kinesiophobia in elderly Polish people after ischemic stroke is common and the determinants of its development are the coexistence of the frailty syndrome, anxiety and a low level of illness acceptance. In post-stroke patients, the presence of kinesiophobia should be considered, especially in the situation of comorbid frailty syndrome. The issue of kinesiophobia in patients after stroke requires further in-depth research, especially in the field of cognitive-behavioral prevention aimed at ways to reduce this phenomenon.

Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version of the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS).

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is a disease that affects the functioning and life of both the patient and their family. It involves the constant treatment, self-care, monitoring of blood glucose levels and adherence to physical activity recommendations. As a result, it causes discomfort, distress and reduces the quality of life. AIM: Due to the lack of a scale that would precisely evaluate the level of distress in patients with diabetes in Poland, we decided to linguistically adapt the DDS scale to the Polish population and investigate its psychometric properties in relation to Polish patients. MATERIAL: The study group consisted of 336 individuals in total, including 156 females (46.43%) and 180 males (53.57%), aged 59.13±8.4 on average. The patients were under the care of a specialist diabetes clinic. The research tool was the Diabetic Stress Scale (DDS). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Our analysis showed that the reliability of both the scale and its components was at a good level. Only the RD-related part was characterised by a lower Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.614. The DDS scale can be successfully used for the assessment of distress in the Polish population of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Sexual Function and Sexual Quality of Life in Premenopausal Women with Controlled Type 1 and 2 Diabetes-Preliminary Study.

Sexual dysfunction is more common in women with diabetes than in women without diabetes. The aim of the study was to determine sexual function and the level of the quality of sex life in premenopausal women with controlled, uncomplicated type 1 and type 2 diabetes taking into account the stages of the menstrual cycle and mood level. The study included 163 women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and 115 controls without diabetes. Questionnaire studies were conducted using the following surveys: Demographic and Clinical Data Survey, Female Sexual Function Index, Sexual Quality of Life-Female, and Beck Depression Inventory. Both phases of the menstrual cycle-follicular and luteal-were included. It was shown that, in women with type 1 diabetes, sexual function decreased during the luteal phase in comparison with the follicular phase (p < 0.001). In the women with type 2 diabetes and in the controls, sexual function was comparable during both phases of the cycle (p > 0.05). In the women with uncomplicated controlled type 1 diabetes, sexual function and the sexual and relationship satisfaction changed depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle with a decrease during the luteal phase. Sexual function and the quality of the sex life of premenopausal women with controlled type 2 diabetes were comparable during both the follicular and the luteal phases. Sexual function in menstruating women with controlled type 2 diabetes decreased with age and a worsening mood.

Comparison of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) in Patients with T2DM in Poland, The Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the paper was to perform a comparative analysis of the impact of T2DM on QoL, including specific ADDQoL domains and associations between QoL, selected socio-demographic factors (including gender, age, education, residence, marital status, professional activity) or clinical parameters (HbA1c levels, fasting blood glucose, BMI, duration of DM, complications, treatment used), in adult diabetic patients from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The study group included 608 patients diagnosed with T2DM. There were 214 patients from Poland, 196 from the Czech Republic and 198 from Slovakia. RESULTS: Overall, respondents from all three countries rated their QoL as good or very good. The mean scores for the item "If I did not have diabetes, my quality of life would be" were slightly higher for Poles than for Slovaks and Czechs. In the ADDQoL results, the weighted impact scores were negative for all domains. The lowest scores in all three countries were found for "freedom to eat" for all patients; the highest for "living conditions". For Polish patients, the linear regression model demonstrated the following significant AWI predictors: pre-university education and past smoking. For Czech patients, the linear regression model demonstrated that none of the characteristics analyzed were significant independent predictors of AWI. In the For Slovak patients, the linear regression model demonstrated the following significant AWI predictors: higher education and concurrent heart failure. CONCLUSION: In summary, our findings demonstrate that T2DM has a negative impact on all aspects of patients' QoL, which is the strongest in terms of the freedom to eat and dietary habits, regardless of the country. Education, past smoking, and concurrent heart failure were the only independent predictors of QoL in our study. This suggests a need for further research that would include more variables and a larger number of patients.

Sperm Antioxidant Biomarkers and Their Correlation with Clinical Condition and Lifestyle with Regard to Male Reproductive Potential.

Measurement of sperm oxidative-antioxidant indicators is widely used in the assessment and detection of biochemical causes of male infertility The main purpose of this study was to identify biomarkers that assist in diagnostics and monitoring of male reproductive potential. We performed the assessment of oxidative-antioxidant malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and total redox antioxidant potential (TRAP) indicators in seminal plasma, seminogram, clinical condition, and lifestyle of people with reproductive problems. The combined assessment of GSH and TRAP as potential biomarkers of male infertility in semen plasma was characterized by the highest total sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, we provide evidence that male reproductive potential is significantly correlated with basic sperm parameters, sperm cell membrane integrity, their morphology, lifestyle, eating habits, occupation, and mental health. Our results provide evidence on the importance of oxidative stress and defense against free radicals in diagnosing and monitoring men with infertility that are consistent with previously conducted research. We provide an alternative approach on the possibility of interpreting the combination of the biomarkers that can bring benefits to a multi-threaded approach to the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.

Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

PURPOSE: Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of developing depression. The aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of depressive symptoms in patients with type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), including the association with different independent sociodemographic and clinical variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The studies were carried out on 618 people, including 115 patients with T1DM and 215 patients with T2DM and 288 people without diabetes constituting two control groups. Subjects were characterized in terms of sociodemographic, clinical and biochemical aspects, and the occurrence of depressive symptoms using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was determined. In the logistic regression analysis, the correlations between BDI score and with independent variables such as sex, age, body mass index, duration of diabetes, HbA1c level, diabetic complications and mean arterial pressure were examined. RESULTS: The mean BDI score was significantly higher in women and men with T1DM and T2DM compared to controls. In diabetic patients, depressive symptoms occurred more often in women than in men. Among patients with T1DM, the incidence of depressive symptoms was 17.5% of the women and 8.6% of the men and in patients with T2DM, the incidence of depressive symptoms was revealed in 28.9% of the women and in 19.8% of the men. In patients with T1DM and T2DM, the occurrence of depressive symptoms increases with age, HbA1c level and complications, and the risk of depressive symptoms turned out to be almost three times higher in women than in men with T2DM. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depressive symptoms in diabetic patients is higher than in non-diabetics. Depressive symptoms account for 13% of the patients with T1DM and 24.7% of the patients with T2DM. The risk of depressive symptoms in T1DM and T2DM increases with age, HbA1c level and the presence of complications, and it is gender-related in T2DM only.

An assessment of diabetes-dependent quality of life (ADDQoL) in women and men in Poland with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of Life (QoL) of Polish women and men with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was analyzed, taking into consideration acceptance of the illness, the occurrence of depression, complications of diabetes, concentration of glycated haemoglobin, and demographic factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted among 115 patients with T1DM and 215 patients with T2DM aged 18-60. The patients were divided into women and men. The tool applied for studying QoL was the Polish language version of the Audit of diabetes-dependent QoL questionnaire(ADDQoL) comprising 2 questions related to the general QoL and 19 domains related to aspects of life. Each domain included 2 components: Impact and Importance, and their product determined the value of the weighted impact score. The Acceptance of Illness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and studied demographic and clinical parameters were also applied. RESULTS: Patients with both types of diabetes demonstrated a negative influence of the disease in all domains of ADDQoL. Values of the average weighted impact of ADDQoL showed significant associations with diabetic complications in T1DM and gender and depressive symptoms in T2DM. Diabetes negatively affects the QoL of diabetic patients in Poland, especially regarding freedom to eat and to drink and sex life in both genders in T1DM, and freedom to eat and drink, and feelings about the future in both genders, and working life and sex life in T2DM men. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for worse QoL are: the occurrence of diabetes complications in T1DM patients and male gender and depression in T2DM patients.

Comparison of health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis during conventional or conventional plus biological therapy in Poland.

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this study was to compare the level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) in Polish patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during therapy applying disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) with conventional synthetics (csDMARDs) or with csDMARDs in combination with biological drugs (bDMARDs). The second purpose was to analyze the correlation between the domain values of NHP and the demographic and clinical parameters, functional efficiency, and mood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The studies involved 212 patients with RA, divided into two groups: group I - 126 persons treated using csDMARDs, group II - 86 patients using csDMARDs in combination with bDMARDs. A diagnostic survey was used applying NHP for HRQoL, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). The 28-Joint Disease Activity Score (DAS-28) was calculated. RESULTS: The patients with RA in both studied groups did not differ significantly in terms of all the NHP domains, values of HAQ and BDI. The DAS-28 value, the number of swollen joints, and the duration of morning stiffness were significantly smaller among patients from group II. However, in both groups, the majority of the analyzed components of NHP demonstrated significant correlations with values of HAQ and BDI and some of the domains of NHP - with DAS-28. CONCLUSION: The level of HRQoL, functional efficiency, and mood are comparable in patients treated conventionally and in combination with biological drugs. The HRQoL level shows correlation with the occurrence of depression symptoms, and the energy level, the sensation of pain, and physical abilities are covariates with daily activities. The intensity of the activity of RA as well as experiencing pain and the duration of morning stiffness is smaller among patients applying csDMARDs plus bDMARDs compared with patients treated only conventionally.

Perception vs pain and beliefs about pain control and Type A behavior pattern in patients with chronic ischemia of lower extremities or with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed at determining the experience of pain taking into consideration beliefs about pain control, Type A behavior pattern and sociodemographic factors in patients with chronic ischemia of the lower extremities or with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The study enrolled 100 patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and 100 patients with RA. The subjective sensation of pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS); beliefs about pain control were analyzed using the Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire (BPCQ), taking into consideration internal factors, the influence of physicians and accidental events (chance); and Type A behavior features (haste and competition) were analyzed using the Framingham Type A Scale. The multiple regression model was used to assess associations between the experienced pain and the BPCQ value, the Framingham Type A Scale and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: The pain intensity degree was found to be comparable in patients with PAD and with RA. The median determined using the VAS was 5.75 in both of the studied groups. In patients with PAD, lower VAS values were associated with the BPCQ - internal factors (P<0.05) whereas a higher VAS value was related to the BPCQ - physicians' influence (P<0.001). In patients with RA, a higher VAS value was associated with BPCQ - physicians' influence (P<0.05), disease duration (P<0.05) and smoking cigarettes (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Experiencing pain by patients with chronic ischemia of the lower extremities occurs at a moderate level and is beneficially connected with the internal factors and adversely connected with the external factors of beliefs about pain control. Patients with RA reported pain ailments of a moderate level in connection with the adverse influence of the external factors of beliefs about pain control, the duration of the disease and smoking cigarettes. Experiencing pain by patients with chronic ischemia of the lower extremities and RA does not seem to be related to Type A behavior.

Does Type 1 Diabetes Modify Sexuality and Mood of Women and Men?

BACKGROUND: Sexual disorders occurring in women and men with type 1 diabetes have not been sufficiently investigated and described until now. This study attempts to evaluate sexuality in women and men. METHODS: Altogether, the study comprised 115 patients with type 1 diabetes and 105 healthy people constituting the control group. All the studied persons underwent survey studies determining sexuality using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-19) in women and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15) in men, and the occurrence of depression using the Beck Depression Inventory. The acceptance of illness among patients with diabetes was examined using the Acceptance of Illness Scale questionnaire. RESULTS: In 35% of the examined women with diabetes, the study demonstrated sexual dysfunction as determined by total FSFI. The point values of all the investigated FSFI domains were significantly lower in women with diabetes than in healthy ones (p < 0.001). Erectile dysfunction occurred in 50% of the studied men with diabetes and in 23% of the control group of men (p = 0.0017). CONCLUSIONS: Type 1 diabetes leads to sexual disorders which occur in 1/3 of women and in 1/2 of men. Sexual disorders in patients with diabetes more frequently occur in men, persons with coexisting complications of diabetes, and in those with a concentration of glycated hemoglobin higher than 6.5%.

Psychometric properties of the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) in a population-based sample of Polish adults with type 1 and 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present paper was the assessment of the psychometric properties of the Polish language version of the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) questionnaire applied in Poland among patients with type 1 (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS: The studies were carried out among 330 patients with diabetes including 115 with T1DM and 215 with T2DM. In all the patients the level of the quality of life was investigated using the Polish language version of the ADDQoL and the psychometric properties were determined taking into consideration internal consistency, the factor loading and intraclass correlations. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that the values of internal consistency determining the reliability of the Polish language version of the ADDQoL for the overall Cronbach's alfa coefficient were 0.92 in the studied patients with T1DM and 0.93 in the studied patients with T2DM and the values of the loading factor were respectively 0.39-0.79 and 0.35-0.81. In the study of the correlation between the components of the ADDQoL the correlation coefficients proved to be highly statistically significant: in patients with T1DM r = 0.46-0.74 and in patients with T2DM - r = 0.42-0.80. CONCLUSION: The Polish language version of the ADDQoL is a reliable tool useful for the assessment of the level of the quality of life of adult patients with T1DM or T2DM in Poland and is recommended to be used among Polish-speaking patients with diabetes.

Relationships of Sexual Dysfunction with Depression and Acceptance of Illness in Women and Men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

An increased prevalence of sexual disorders has been reported in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study is the assessment of the influence of the psychical condition, the concentration of glycated hemoglobin, the duration of diabetes, the body mass index, the age, and the subjective acceptance of the illness on sexual disorders occurring in women and men with type 2 diabetes. The study enrolled 215 patients (114 women and 101 men) with type 2 diabetes and 183 controls. Sexuality was determined in all of the studied subjects using: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in women and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) in men. The occurrence of depression symptoms was determined using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), whereas the acceptance of the illness in diabetic patients using the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). A sexual dysfunction was found in 68% of the studied diabetic women and 17% of controls. The point values of all the examined FSFI domains were significantly lower in women with diabetes than in controls (p < 0.001). Erectile disorders occurred in 82% of the studied men with diabetes and in 41% of the controls (p < 0.001). The point values of all the domains of FSFI and IIEF demonstrated a significantly negative correlation with the total BDI score, which was higher in patients with diabetes than in patients without diabetes, and a positive correlation with the total AIS score (p < 0.001). The occurrence of sexual dysfunction in patients with diabetes correlated with the age and the duration of diabetes. We conclude that sexual disorders in patients with type 2 diabetes demonstrate the correlation with the occurrence of depression and the acceptance of their illness. Sexual disorders in diabetic patients occur more frequently in older patients and in those with a longer duration of diabetes.

Independent Factors of Changes of Ankle-Brachial Index in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease in Elderly Patients with or without Diabetes.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) belongs to the commonly-occurring pathologies associated with elderly age. A simple tool for defining the severity of PAD is the ankle-brachial index (ABI). The purpose of this research was to determine independent factors of changes of ABI in elderly patients with occlusive PAD disease (PAOD) with and without diabetes. The research was carried out on 49 elderly patients with PAOD, including 29 patients with type 2 diabetes, and 20 patients without diabetes. The concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6), E-selectin, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood serum was marked. In all patients, the independent factors of changes of ABI were determined with the use of the multiple logistic regression analysis. Our results show that in the group of patients with PAOD suffering from diabetes, it was demonstrated that the ABI was related to age, the duration of the symptoms of PAD, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen, and sex (determination coefficient R² = 0.699). In patients with PAOD without diabetes, the ABI was related to age, the duration of the symptoms of PAD, the levels of CRP, E-selectin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the glomerular filtration rate(determination coefficient R² = 0.844). We conclude that in elderly patients with PAOD with and without diabetes, the participation of independent factors related to the ABI is diversified; in patients with diabetes, the concentration of IL-6 and fibrinogen is lower, and the concentration of E-selectin is higher than in patients without diabetes.

Physical and mental health aspects of elderly in social care in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to evaluate health aspects in elderly individuals in social, institutional, and home care in Poland. METHODS: A total of 300 elderly individuals in care in Poland were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups: residents of long-term care institutions (group I), residents of adult day-care homes (group II), and community-dwelling subjects (group III). Each group consisted of 100 subjects. Questionnaires evaluating the following physical and mental dimensions of health were used: SF-36 Health Survey, basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Mini-mental state examination. RESULTS: It was found that the health aspects of the elderly varied depending on whether care was provided in an institutionalized or a home environment, and the lowest health status was found in the elderly receiving in-home care. Furthermore, home-based elderly indicated significant limitations in performing basic activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, as well as a higher prevalence of depression and cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: The elderly in long-term institutionalized care, both in a residential home and adult day-care homes, were characterized by a better physical and mental health status than those receiving in-home care. It seemed that worse health status, including the more frequent depression occurrence and cognitive function disorders in the elderly using the nursing care at their homes, was related to their multimorbidity, loneliness, and too-short duration of the care during the day.

Quality of life in elderly patients following coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: Surgical revascularization of the coronary arteries leads to changes in quality of life (QoL) for patients with coronary heart disease. The aim of this work was to monitor QoL, considering cognitive function, depression, and activities of daily living in elderly patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: This study included 65 patients (29 women and 36 men) aged 61-74 years with stable coronary heart disease who underwent CABG. The control group included 29 women and 36 men aged 61-74 years who were not suffering from coronary heart disease. The questionnaires used in the study canvassed QoL (Nottingham Health Profile), cognitive function, depression, and basic and instrumental activities of daily living. The research was conducted before surgery and repeated 6 and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: QoL was comparable between women and men and was lower than in the control group (P<0.05). After CABG, the values for particular domains of QoL improved more in men than in women. There was a reduction in the severity of depression 6 months after surgery in men and 12 months after surgery in women. CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with coronary heart disease have decreased QoL, which normalizes in men and improves in women after CABG.