Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and HFpEF-Related Outcomes

Abstract

Objectives: This study analyzed changes in depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) who were enrolled in the TOPCAT (Aldosterone Antagonist Therapy for Adults With Heart Failure and Preserved Systolic Function) trial.

Background: There are limited longitudinal data for depressive symptoms in patients with HFpEF.

Methods: In patients enrolled in the United States and Canada (n = 1,431), depressive symptoms were measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Clinically meaningful changes in PHQ-9 scores were defined as worse (≥3-point increase) or better (≥3-point decrease). Multivariate models were used to identify predictors of change in depressive symptoms. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the impact of symptom changes from baseline on subsequent incident cardiovascular events.

Results: At 12 months, 19% of patients experienced clinically worsening depressive symptoms, 31% better, and 49% unchanged. Independent predictors of clinically meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms included higher baseline PHQ-9 scores, male sex, lack of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and randomization to spironolactone. After data were adjusted for cardiovascular comorbidities, higher baseline PHQ-9 was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 to 1.16; p = 0.011), whereas worsening depressive symptoms at 12 months were associated with cardiovascular death (HR: 2.47; 95% CI: 1.32 to 4.63; p = 0.005) and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.93; p = 0.014). Randomization to spironolactone was associated with modest but statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms over the course of the trial (p = 0.014).

Conclusions: Higher baseline depressive symptoms and worsening depressive symptoms were associated with all-cause mortality. Randomization to spironolactone was associated with modest reduction in depressive symptoms. (Aldosterone Antagonist Therapy for Adults With Heart Failure and Preserved Systolic Function [TOPCAT]; NCT00094302).

Keywords: HFpEF; TOPCAT; age; depression; quality of life; spironolactone.

Conflict of interest statement

Author Disclosures The TOPCAT trial was funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Bethesda, MD (N01 HC45207). No additional funding was received to conduct this study. Dr. Chandra was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) T32 postdoctoral training grant (5T32HL094301-09). Dr. Desai received research grants from Novartis, Alnylam, AstraZeneca; has received consulting fees from Novartis, Alnylam, AstraZeneca, Abbott, Amgen, Relypsa, Biofourmis, Boston Scientific, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Corvidia, Merck, Novartis, Relypsa, Regeneron, and DalCor Pharma; and research grants from Novartis. Dr. Fang has served on steering committees for Novartis, Amgen, AstraZeneca, and J & J. Dr. Pitt has received consulting fees from Amorcyte, AstraZeneca, Aurasense, Bayer, BG Medicine, Gambro, Johnson & Johnson, Mesoblast, Novartis, Pfizer, Relypsa, and Takeda; research grant support from Forest Laboratories; holds stock in Aurasense, Relypsa, BG Medicine, and Aurasense; and has a pending patent related to site-specific delivery of eplerenone to the myocardium. Dr. Solomon has received research grants from Alnylam, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bellerophon, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celladon, Cytokinetics, Eidos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Ionis, Lone Star Heart, Mesoblast, MyoKardia, National Institutes of Health/NHLBI, Novartis, Sanofi Pasteur, Theracos, and has consulted for Akros, Alnylam, Amgen, Arena, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cardior, Cardurion, Corvia, Cytokinetics, Daiichi-Sankyo, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Ironwood, Merck, Myokardia, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, Theracos, Quantum Genetics, Cardurion, AoBiome, Janssen, Cardiac Dimensions, Tenaya, Dinaqor, Tremeau. Dr. Pfeffer has received research support from Novartis; serves as a consultant for AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, DalCor, Genzyme, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Teva, and Thrasos; and has stock options in DalCor. Dr. Lewis has received funding from Novartis (research support), Merck, and Dal-Cor (consulting agreement). All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.