Madelein T. Hoogwegt

Pre implantation psychological functioning preserved in majority of implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients 12 months post implantation

BACKGROUND The impact of ICD therapy on patient well being has typically focused on mean differences between groups, thereby neglecting changes within individuals. Using an intra-individual approach, we examined (i) the prevalence of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients maintaining their pre implantation level of psychological functioning at 12 months, and (ii) factors associated with deterioration in functioning. METHODS Consecutively implanted ICD patients (n=332) completed a set of standardized and validated patient reported measures at baseline and at 12 months post implantation. RESULTS The majority of patients (72.8% to 81.7%) preserved their pre implantation level of psychological functioning 12 months post implantation. In adjusted analysis, ICD shock (all ps<.001) and Type D personality (all ps<.05) were independent predictors of deterioration in psychological functioning at 12 months across all domains, while baseline psychological status was associated with an improvement (all ps<.05). Patients with a primary prevention indication experienced a decrease in ICD concerns (p=.03) and anxiety (p=.006), and older patients (p=.04) a decrease in anxiety symptoms during the follow-up period. By contrast, patients with left ventricular dysfunction (p=.007) and atrial fibrillation (p=.02) were more likely to experience an increase in anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The majority of ICD patients maintained their pre implantation level of psychological functioning at 12 months. A subset of patients was at risk of poor psychological adaptation, attributable to ICD shocks, Type D personality, atrial fibrillation, and left ventricular dysfunction, while primary prevention indication and older age had a protective effect against deterioration in functioning.

Relation of Symptomatic Heart Failure and Psychological Status to Persistent Depression in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator

Studies on psychological morbidity in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) have focused on mean differences rather than intraindividual differences. Such an approach masks the chronicity of symptoms in individual patients and the potential differences in cardiac outcomes. We examined the prevalence and correlates of persistent depression using an intraindividual approach. Consecutive patients who had undergone ICD implantation (n = 386; 79.3% men) completed a set of validated questionnaires, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), at baseline and 3 months after implantation. Information on ICD therapies was obtained by device interrogation. At 3 months after implantation, 52 (14%) of the 386 patients had persistent depression (HADS cutoff ≥8 before and 3 months after implantation). Heart failure (odds ratio [OR] 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26 to 4.15), cardiac resynchronization therapy (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.05 to 3.52), New York Heart Association class III-IV (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.36 to 4.48), diabetes (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.01 to 4.29), Type D personality (OR 8.30; 95% CI 4.42 to 15.58), high levels of ICD concerns (OR 2.60; 95% CI 1.44 to 1.71), diuretics (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.26 to 4.61), and psychotropic medication (OR 3.58; 95% CI 1.86 to 6.90) were all significant univariate correlates of persistent depression at 3 months. No effect was found for ICD shock during follow-up (OR 1.59; 95% CI 0.57 to 4.41). In adjusted analysis, New York Heart Association class III-IV (OR 2.95; 95% CI 1.47 to 5.89), Type D personality (OR 7.98; 95% CI 3.98 to 16.04), and the use of psychotropic medication (OR 2.73; 95% CI 1.27 to 5.84) were independent correlates of persistent depression. In conclusion, symptomatic heart failure, psychological status, and psychotropic medication use predicted persistent depression after ICD implantation.

Depression, not anxiety, is independently associated with 5-year hospitalizations and mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease

OBJECTIVE The objective of the current study was to examine whether depression and anxiety are independently associated with 5-year cardiac-related hospitalizations and all-cause mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). METHODS Patients treated for MI, angina, or ischemic heart failure (N=610) were recruited from Holbæk Hospital, Denmark. All patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in December 2005. Data regarding patient characteristics at baseline, and hospitalizations and deaths during follow-up were collected from Danish population-based registers. Cox and negative binomial regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between depression, anxiety and the endpoints. RESULTS At baseline, 71 (11.6%) patients reported depression and 120 (19.7%) reported anxiety. Models including both depression and anxiety showed that depression was independently associated with time to first cardiac-related hospitalization, cumulative number and length of cardiac-related hospitalizations, and all-cause mortality, while anxiety was only associated with the total length of hospitalizations (all p-values <.05). After adding sociodemographic and clinical factors, depression remained associated with the number (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=2.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44-2.77) and length of cardiac-related hospitalizations (IRR=3.69, 95% CI: 2.75-4.96), and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR)=2.12, 95% CI: 1.13-3.96). The associations between depression and time to first hospitalization and between anxiety and length of stay were eliminated. CONCLUSIONS The current study showed that depression, and not anxiety, is associated with the number and length of cardiac-related hospitalizations and all-cause mortality in IHD patients, independent of traditional risk factors. In order to improve health outcomes, better awareness and treatment of depression in IHD patients are crucial.

Exercise Mediates the Association Between Positive Affect and 5-Year Mortality in Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease

Background—Positive affect has been associated with better prognosis in patients with ischemic heart disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We examined whether positive affect predicted time to first cardiac-related hospitalization and all-cause mortality, and whether exercise mediated this relationship in patients with established ischemic heart disease. Methods and Results—The sample comprised 607 patients with ischemic heart disease from Holbæk Hospital, Denmark. In 2005, patients completed the Global Mood Scale (GMS) to assess positive affect and a purpose-designed question on exercise. Data on mortality and hospitalization were collected from Danish national registers for the period 2006–2010. Adjusted Cox and logistic regression were used to analyze the mediation model. Because no significant association between positive affect and cardiac-related hospitalization was found, we constructed no mediation model for hospitalization. Importantly, patients with high positive affect had a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.37–0.92; unadjusted analysis) and were more likely to exercise (odds ratio, 1.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.44–2.76; unadjusted analysis; odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–2.13; adjusted analysis). When controlling for positive affect and other relevant variables, patients engaged in exercise were less likely to die during follow-up (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.31–0.80; P=0.004). Importantly, exercise acted as a mediator in the relationship between positive affect and mortality. Conclusions—Patients with higher levels of positive affect were more likely to exercise and had a lower risk of dying during 5-year follow-up, with exercise mediating the relationship between positive affect and mortality. Interventions aimed at increasing both positive affect and exercise may have better results with respect to patients’ prognosis and psychological well-being than interventions focusing on 1 of these factors alone.

Shock and Patient Preimplantation Type D Personality Are Associated With Poor Health Status in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator

Background— Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock is a critical event to patients associated with well-being after implantation, although other factors may play an equally important role. We compared the association of shock and the patients preimplantation personality with health status, using a prospective study design. Methods and Results— Consecutively implanted ICD patients (n=383; 79% men) completed the Type D Scale at baseline and the Short-Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months. Of all patients, 23.5% had a Type D personality and 13.8% received a shock during follow-up. Shocked patients reported significantly poorer health status, as did Type D patients. Health status patterns were poorest in patients with combined Type D personality and shock during follow-up. Shock during follow-up was a significant independent associate of poorer health status for 4 of 8 subscales of the SF-36 and the Mental Component Summary (all P<.05), with shocked patients scoring between 2.60 to 13.30 points lower than nonshocked patients. Type D personality was an independent associate of poor postimplantation health status for 6 of 8 of the SF-36 subscales and the Mental Component Summary, with Type D patients scoring between 2.12 to 8.02 points lower, adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. Conclusions— ICD shock and the patients preimplantation personality disposition were equally important associates of health status 12 months after implantation. Identification of the patients personality profile before ICD implantation may help identify subsets of patients who may need additional care, for example, with a psychosocial component.

Smoking Cessation has no Influence on Quality of Life in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease 5 Years Post-vascular Surgery

OBJECTIVES Smoking is an important modifiable risk factor in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We investigated differences in quality of life (QoL) between patients who quitted smoking during follow-up and persistent smokers. DESIGN Cohort study. METHODS Data of 711 consecutively enrolled patients undergoing vascular surgery were collected in 11 hospitals in the Netherlands. Smoking status was obtained at baseline and at 3-year follow-up. A 5-year follow-up to measure QoL was performed with the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and Peripheral Arterial Questionnaire (PAQ). RESULTS After adjusting for clinical risk factors, patients, who quit smoking within 3 years after vascular surgery, did not report an impaired QoL (EQ-5D: odds ratio (OR) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28-1.43; PAQ: OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.35-1.65; visual analogue scale (VAS): OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.42-1.84) compared with patients, who continued smoking. Current smokers were significantly more likely to have an impaired QoL (EQ-5D: OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.09-3.17; PAQ: OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.00-2.65), although no differences in VAS scores were found (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.72-1.90). CONCLUSIONS There was no effect of smoking cessation on QoL in PAD patients undergoing vascular surgery. Nevertheless, given the link between smoking, complications and mortality in this patient group, smoking cessation should be a primary target in secondary prevention.

Self-reported health-related quality of life predicts 5-year mortality and hospital readmissions in patients with ischaemic heart disease.

Background Patient health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important health outcome with lower HRQL associated with adverse events in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Design Baseline health-related quality of life was investigated as a predictor of 5-year all-cause mortality and cardiac readmissions in Danish patients with IHD. Methods The international HeartQoL Project survey was designed to develop a core HRQL questionnaire for patients with IHD. Baseline scores on each of the 14 items ultimately included in the HeartQoL questionnaire were linked to Danish national health registries and hazard ratios for mortality and readmissions were estimated using Cox regression models. Results Among 938 eligible Danish patients with IHD, 662 (70.6%) participated in the international HeartQoL Project. During the 5-year follow-up, 83 patients died and 196 patients were readmitted. Adjusted analyses showed a significant linear association between all-cause mortality and both lower global HRQL (HR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.26–2.23; p < 0.001) and physical scores (HR = 1.71, 1.33–2.21; p < 0.001) and between readmission and both lower global (HR = 1.73, 1.41–2.12; p < 0.001) and physical scores (HR = 1.63, 1.35–1.96; p < 0.001). A significant, but non-linear, effect was found for emotional HRQL score on outcomes. Conclusion This study shows a significant and linear relationship between lower global and physical HRQL scores in patients with IHD and 5-year all-cause mortality and cardiac readmission.

Relation between emotional distress and heart rate variability in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

We investigated the relationship between Type D personality, depression, and anxiety, and heart rate variability (HRV) in 64 patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). HRV was obtained via 24-h Holter monitoring, and 24-h, 30-min daytime rest and 30-min nighttime sleep HRV were analyzed. In adjusted analyses, significant associations (standard deviation of normal-to-normal [NN] intervals [SDNN]: p = .043; standard deviation of NN intervals over 5-min periods [SDANN]: p = .010) and a trend (HRV triangular index: p  = .09) were found for Type D personality, and trends were found for depression (lower RMSSD: p  = .10; lower pNN50: p  = .09). During daytime rest, similar results were found for anxiety and depression. During sleep, only noteworthy adjusted associations were found for depression (lower root mean square of successive differences in NN intervals [RMSSD]: p  = .06; lower pNN50: p  = .043). A Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple testing led to reduction of the number of significant relationships, but there was still support for lower autonomic control patients with Type D personality and depression. Future research with larger sample sizes is warranted.

Beta-blocker therapy is not associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

AIMS Beta-blockers are frequently prescribed to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients. Beta-blocker therapy has been proposed to induce emotional distress such as depression and anxiety, but a paucity of studies has examined the relationship between beta-blockers and distress. We investigated the association between beta-blocker therapy, including type and dosage, and symptoms of anxiety and depression in a consecutive cohort of patients receiving an ICD. METHODS AND RESULTS Between 2003 and 2010, 448 consecutively implanted ICD patients were enrolled in the prospective Mood and personality as precipitants of arrhythmia in patients with an Implantable cardioverter Defibrillator: A prospective Study (MIDAS), of which 429 completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the ICD Patient Concerns questionnaire (ICDC) at baseline. Eighty per cent of all patients received beta-blocker therapy. In univariate analysis, beta-blocker therapy was not significantly associated with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ICD concerns (β = -0.030, β = 0.007, and β = -0.045, respectively; all Ps >0.36). Type of beta-blocker showed a trend towards significance for mean levels of ICD concerns (P = 0.09). No association was found between dosage and emotional distress (all Ps >0.21). After adjustment for relevant clinical and demographic variables, the association of beta-blocker therapy and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ICD concerns remained non-significant (β = 0.009, β = 0.037, and β = 0.019, respectively; all Ps >0.47). CONCLUSION In patients receiving an ICD, beta-blocker therapy was not associated with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ICD concerns. Research is warranted that further elucidates the link between beta-blocker therapy and emotional distress in this vulnerable patient group.

Long-term mortality risk in patients with an implantable cardioverter–defibrillator: Influence of heart rate and QRS duration

BACKGROUND A paucity of studies has investigated the role of autonomic cardiac regulation as well as cardiac conduction in relation to prognosis in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients. Therefore, we examined the association of heart rate and QRS duration with long-term mortality risk in first-time ICD patients, adjusting also for measures of emotional distress. METHODS Resting heart rate and QRS duration were assessed prior to ICD implantation in 448 patients. Primary study endpoint was all-cause mortality (up to 6.0 year follow-up, median follow-up of 5.6 years (IQR: 1.9)). The impact of heart rate and QRS duration on time to all-cause mortality was separately assessed with Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, adjusting for clinical factors and symptoms of depression and anxiety. RESULTS Mean (SD) heart rate was 68.0 ± 13.3 bpm and mean QRS duration was 130.9 ± 36.9 ms. Heart rate of ≥80 bpm was associated with increased risk of mortality (HR=1.86; 95% CI=1.15-3.00; p=.011) in unadjusted analysis. In adjusted analyses, this relationship remained significant both with depression (HR=1.86, 95% CI=1.12-3.09; p=.017) and anxiety (HR=1.82, 95% CI=1.10-3.03; p=.021) and clinical measures as covariates. QRS duration of ≥120 ms was associated with impaired prognosis in unadjusted analysis (HR=2.00, 95% CI=1.27-3.14; p=.003), but was reduced to non-significance in adjusted analysis when medical comorbidities were included (HR=1.15, 95% CI=0.70-1.89; p=.60). CONCLUSIONS This study shows that increased heart rate is associated with impaired prognosis. Since heart rate is a relatively easy measurable parameter of autonomic functioning, heart rate should be included as a measure for risk stratification in daily clinical practice.