The Relationship between Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity and Depressive Symptoms among Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is an index for arterial stiffness in coronary artery disease (CAD). Depression has been connected to increased adverse cardiac events and mortality among patients with CAD. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and depressive symptoms among patients with CAD.

METHODS: Eighty-six patients with CAD were recruited. Demographic characteristics and Beck Depressive Inventory II scores were obtained from the study participants, and resting baPWV was measured by using a noninvasive device. Thereafter, the participants were divided into mild and severe arteriosclerosis groups according to baPWV values.

RESULTS: After adjusting the age, use of β-blockers, and left ventricular ejection fraction, there were higher somatic symptoms of depression in the severe arteriosclerosis group than those in the mild arteriosclerosis group, in particular concentration difficulty, changes in appetite, and fatigue. A multiple regression analysis indicated that baPWV was related to somatic symptoms of depression after adjusting the covariates of CAD risk factors. However, this association was not found between baPWV and cognitive symptoms of depression, and the total score of depression.

CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the proposition that somatic symptom of depression was related to arterial stiffness among patients with CAD.