A CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF HEART-RATE IN DEPRESSED-PATIENTS

From 24-hours Holter electrocardiographic monitoring the mean 24 hours , day and night heart rates were calculated in depressed patients at l east 5 (DSM IV-R criteria, MADRS score > 18) in order to identity hear t rate changes associated with depression and to study the treatment e fficacy. Two groups of patients with depression were studied: 1) 12 pa tients without previous treatment then treated with oral clomipramine (150 mg/day); 2) 12 in-patients with inefficacious treatment. Results were compared to a control group of 12 healthy subjects. Night mean he art rates are significantly increased in patients with depression comp ared with controls, probably induced by lower vagal tone. In patients with clomipramine, night, day and 24-hours mean heart rates ave signif icantly higher after 21 days of treatment than before and higher than controls. The night heart rate appears to be a pertinent marker of dep ression although the side-effects of some treatments should moderate t he interest of heart rate monitoring in the evaluation of clinical imp rovement.