ORLANDO — A higher incidence of depression after a myocardial infarction in women, compared with men, contributes to the worse outcomes that women face, according to a study.
“It's important to identify and treat symptoms of depression at the time of hospitalization for myocardial infarction,” Dr. Susmita Parashar said at a conference on cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Dr. Parashar, of Emory University, Atlanta, and associates used data on 2,411 acute MI patients at 17 U.S. centers during January 2003-June 2004 in the Prospective Registry Evaluating Myocardial Infarction Events and Recovery study. Patients with a documented MI were assessed for depression at initial hospitalization and at follow-up with the Patients Health Questionnaire (PHQ).
During initial hospitalization, 29% of 752 women in the registry were diagnosed with depression by the PHQ, compared with a prevalence of 19% among 1,531 men, a statistically significant difference.
In an analysis that adjusted for age at baseline, women were 18% more likely to need rehospitalization during 12 months of follow-up, versus men, a significant difference. In a second analysis that adjusted for age and race and several clinical factors at baseline including diabetes, hypertension, and smoking history, women were 20% more likely to be hospitalized during follow-up, compared with men.