Depression is associated with increased occurrence of left ventricle concentric geometry in older subjects independently of blood pressure levels

Background and Aim: Depression is emerging as an independent risk factor for CV events, though mechanisms underlying this association are unknown. We investigated the relation between depression and LV hypertrophy (LVH) and LV structure in a group of elderly subjects. Methods and Results: Three hundred seventy patients (mean age 79 +/- 6 years) were enrolled. CV risk factors were assessed. Depression was defined as a score >= 6 on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. On the basis of the presence of LVH and of LV relative wall thickness (RWT) 4 echocardiographic patterns of LV adaptation were defined: concentric LVH (LVH with increased RWT); eccentric LVH (LVH with normal RWT); concentric LV remodeling (no LVH with increased RWT); normal LV (no LVH with normal RWT). Prevalence of hypertension was approximately 86% and 24.7% had diabetes (n.s. depressed vs not depressed subjects). BP was comparable in these two groups (134.7 +/- 1.4 vs 135.3 +/- 1.8 mmHg, 77.1 +/- 0.8 vs 76.3 +/- 1.0 mmHg for SBP and DBP respectively). Depressed subjects (n = 165) showed a significantly higher occurrence of concentric LVH than not depressed, after adjustment for age, sex, and hypertension. Depression was associated with a 2.1 fold higher risk of showing a LV concentric, either remodeling or LVH, pattern after adjustment for age, sex, and traditional CV risk factors. Conclusions: Depression is accompanied by a higher occurrence of concentric LVH in elderly subjects, independently of BP levels. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.