Efrén Martínez-Quintana1,2, Angela Girolimetti2, Sara Jiménez-Rodríguez2, Carla Fraguela-Medina2, Fayna Rodríguez-González3, Antonio Tugores4. 1. Cardiology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. 2. Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. 3. Ophthalmology Service, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. 4. Research Unit, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine psychological distress in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study among consecutive CHD patients recruited from a single hospital outpatient clinic to determine anxiety and depression according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-nine CHD patients [29 (19-39) years old, 100 (59%) males] were studied. A total of 25% and 9% of CHD patients showed anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. Patients with an HADS score ≥ 8 had a significantly worse New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, needed more psychological support, had more mental health history, and took more anxiolytic/antidepressant medication than the CHD patients with an HADS score below 8. A worse NYHA functional class [OR, 1.88 (1.01-3.52)] proved to be a predictor of a borderline/abnormal HADS score. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress has a high prevalence among CHD patients and having an NYHA Class II and III is a significant predictor of an HADS score ≥ 8.
OBJECTIVE: To determine psychological distress in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study among consecutive CHDpatients recruited from a single hospital outpatient clinic to determine anxiety and depression according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-nine CHDpatients [29 (19-39) years old, 100 (59%) males] were studied. A total of 25% and 9% of CHDpatients showed anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. Patients with an HADS score ≥ 8 had a significantly worse New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, needed more psychological support, had more mental health history, and took more anxiolytic/antidepressant medication than the CHDpatients with an HADS score below 8. A worse NYHA functional class [OR, 1.88 (1.01-3.52)] proved to be a predictor of a borderline/abnormal HADS score. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress has a high prevalence among CHDpatients and having an NYHA Class II and III is a significant predictor of an HADS score ≥ 8.