HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE - DIFFERENCES IN PATIENTS WITH HIGHER AND LOWER DEPRESSION SCORES

This study tested the hypothesis that coronary artery disease patients with higher depression scores have lower heart rate variability durin g daily life. Method: Thirty-three men and nine women, ranging in age from 46 to 79, with coronary artery disease and exercise-induced ische mia were studied. The standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN ) and average heart rate were obtained from 24-hour ambulatory electro cardiographic monitoring. Patients were grouped by a median split of t he Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-D) score. Results : SDNN was lower (p = .009) and average heart rate was higher (p = .00 3) in patients with higher depression scores. These relationships rema ined substantially unaltered after statistically adjusting for the onl y demographic/clinical factor that varied between the groups: gender. Conclusions: In comparison to the lower depression score group, those with higher depression scores had lower heart rate variability during daily life. These findings may be related to the reported relationship between depression and survival risk in patients with coronary artery disease.