BACKGROUND: In the past decade, there has been an increasing awareness of both quality-of-life impairment and the negative prognostic role of depression in congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to evaluate distress, psychological well-being, and clinical and subclinical depression in 68 CHF outpatients at Bellaria Hospital in Bologna, Italy, at an initial assessment and at a 2-month routine follow-up visit. RESULTS: Patients reported a high prevalence of somatic complaints, depression, and demoralization, and low scores on psychological well-being. Among the variables examined as potential risk factors for cardiovascular outcome events, based on rehospitalization and cardiac death, only minor depression attained statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should thus assess minor depression among other psychological variables in these patients.
BACKGROUND: In the past decade, there has been an increasing awareness of both quality-of-life impairment and the negative prognostic role of depression in congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to evaluate distress, psychological well-being, and clinical and subclinical depression in 68 CHF outpatients at Bellaria Hospital in Bologna, Italy, at an initial assessment and at a 2-month routine follow-up visit. RESULTS:Patients reported a high prevalence of somatic complaints, depression, and demoralization, and low scores on psychological well-being. Among the variables examined as potential risk factors for cardiovascular outcome events, based on rehospitalization and cardiac death, only minor depression attained statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should thus assess minor depression among other psychological variables in these patients.
Authors: Emanuela Offidani; Giada Benasi; Mary E Charlson; Joseph E Ravenell; Carla Boutin-Foster Journal: J Racial Ethn Health Disparities Date: 2017-12-15