| Title | Differences in heart rate variability between depressed and non-depressed elderly. | ||
| Author | van der Kooy, Koen G; van Hout, Hein P J; van Marwijk, Harm W J; de Haan, Marten; Stehouwer, Coen D A; Beekman, Aartjan T F | ||
| Journal | Int J Geriatr Psychiatry | Publication Year/Month | 2006-Feb |
| PMID | 16416460 | PMCID | -N/A- |
| Affiliation | 1.Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. | ||
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether older primary care patients with a Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have lower heart rate variability (HRV) compared to non-depressed patients. HRV is a measure of cardiac autonomic functioning. METHOD: A cross-sectional comparison of 136 elderly persons with MDD and 136 non-depressed controls (matched for age and gender) recruited in family practices in the Netherlands. Depression was determined according to the DSM-IV criteria using the PRIME-MD. HRV was measured with an electrocardiogram (ECG) during a 5-minute supine rest. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed statistically significant decrease in HRV in MDD patients compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Older primary care patients with MDD have a reduced HRV. This may explain why depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality.