Gender-Based Differences in Anxiety and Depression Following Acute Myocardial Infarction / Diferenças por Sexo na Ansiedade e Depressão após Infarto Agudo do Miocárdio

Abstract Background: Among patients with heart disease, depression and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and persistent. Both depression and anxiety play a significant role in cardiovascular disease progression and are acknowledged to be independent risk factors. However, there is very little gender-related analysis concerning cardiovascular diseases and emotional disorders. Objective: We aimed to evaluate depression and anxiety levels in patients suffering from myocardial infarction [MI] within the first month after the MI and to assess the association between cardiovascular disease risk factors, demographic indicators and emotional disorders, as well as to determine whether there are gender-based differences or similarities. Methods: This survey included demographic questions, clinical characteristics, questions about cardiovascular disease risk factors and the use of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]. All statistical tests were two-sided, and p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: It was determined that 71.4% of female and 60.4% of male patients had concomitant anxiety and/or depression symptomatology (p = 0.006). Using men as the reference point, women had an elevated risk of having some type of psychiatric disorder (odds ratio, 2.86, p = 0.007). The HADS-D score was notably higher in women (8.66 ± 3.717) than men (6.87 ± 4.531, p = 0.004). It was determined that male patients who developed depression were on average younger than those without depression (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Women demonstrated an elevated risk of having anxiety and/or depression disorder compared to men. Furthermore, depression severity increased with age in men, while anxiety severity decreased. In contrast, depression and anxiety severity was similar for women of all ages after the MI. A higher depression score was associated with diabetes and physical inactivity, whereas a higher anxiety score was associated with smoking in men. Hypercholesterolemia was associated with both higher anxiety and depression scores, and a higher depression score was associated with physical inactivity in women.

Resumo Fundamento: Os pacientes com doença cardíaca, depressão e transtornos de ansiedade são altamente prevalentes e persistentes. A depressão e a ansiedade desempenham um papel significativo na progressão da doença cardiovascular e são reconhecidas como fatores de risco independentes. No entanto, há muito pouca análise relacionada ao gênero em relação às doenças cardiovasculares e transtornos emocionais. Objetivo: Avaliar os níveis de depressão e ansiedade em pacientes com infarto do miocárdio (IM) no primeiro mês após o IM e avaliar a relação entre os fatores de risco para doença cardiovascular, indicadores demográficos e distúrbios emocionais, bem como determinar se existem diferenças ou semelhanças baseadas no sexo do paciente. Métodos: Esta pesquisa incluiu questões demográficas, características clínicas, questões sobre fatores de risco de doença cardiovascular e a Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão [HADS]. Todos os testes estatísticos foram bilaterais, e valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados estatisticamente significativos. Resultados: Determinou-se que 71,4% dos pacientes do sexo feminino e 60,4% dos pacientes do sexo masculino apresentavam sintomatologia concomitante de ansiedade e/ou depressão (p = 0,006). Utilizando os homens como o ponto de referência, as mulheres mostraram um risco elevado de apresentar qualquer distúrbio psiquiátrico (odds ratio, 2,86, p = 0,007). O escore da HADS-D foi notavelmente maior nas mulheres (8,66 ± 3,717) do que nos homens (6,87 ± 4,531, p = 0,004). Foi determinado que os pacientes do sexo masculino que desenvolveram depressão eram em média mais jovens do que aqueles sem depressão (p = 0,005). Conclusões: As mulheres demonstraram risco mais elevado de apresentar distúrbio de ansiedade e/ou depressão em comparação aos homens. Além disso, a gravidade da depressão aumentou com a idade entre os homens, enquanto o gravidade da ansiedade diminuiu. Em contraste, a gravidade da depressão e ansiedade foram semelhantes para mulheres de todas as idades após o IM. Um maior escore de depressão foi associado com diabetes e inatividade física, e o maior escore de ansiedade foi associado ao tabagismo nos homens. A hipercolesterolemia foi associada tanto aos maiores escores de ansiedade e depressão, enquanto um maior escore de depressão foi associado à inatividade física entre mulheres.

Gender-Based Differences in Anxiety and Depression Following Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with heart disease, depression and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and persistent. Both depression and anxiety play a significant role in cardiovascular disease progression and are acknowledged to be independent risk factors. However, there is very little gender-related analysis concerning cardiovascular diseases and emotional disorders. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate depression and anxiety levels in patients suffering from myocardial infarction [MI] within the first month after the MI and to assess the association between cardiovascular disease risk factors, demographic indicators and emotional disorders, as well as to determine whether there are gender-based differences or similarities. METHODS: This survey included demographic questions, clinical characteristics, questions about cardiovascular disease risk factors and the use of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]. All statistical tests were two-sided, and p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: It was determined that 71.4% of female and 60.4% of male patients had concomitant anxiety and/or depression symptomatology (p = 0.006). Using men as the reference point, women had an elevated risk of having some type of psychiatric disorder (odds ratio, 2.86, p = 0.007). The HADS-D score was notably higher in women (8.66 ± 3.717) than men (6.87 ± 4.531, p = 0.004). It was determined that male patients who developed depression were on average younger than those without depression (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Women demonstrated an elevated risk of having anxiety and/or depression disorder compared to men. Furthermore, depression severity increased with age in men, while anxiety severity decreased. In contrast, depression and anxiety severity was similar for women of all ages after the MI. A higher depression score was associated with diabetes and physical inactivity, whereas a higher anxiety score was associated with smoking in men. Hypercholesterolemia was associated with both higher anxiety and depression scores, and a higher depression score was associated with physical inactivity in women.