Objective: To utilize existing medical record information in order to examine the relationship between depression, anxiety, levels of social support and clinical outcomes in cardiac rehabilitation attendees.
Method: In a tertiary care centre 389 records for cardiac rehabilitation outpatients were analysed. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales scores collected at week 4 of their cardiac rehabilitation programme were linked with medical record information on demographic, lifestyle, medical and other coronary heart disease risk factors, as well as follow-up cardiovascular events and readmissions for an average of 2.6 years. Variables of interest were anxiety and depression scores and proxy measures of social support. Clinical outcome measures were number of hospital admissions, length of stay and mortality.
Results: Multiple variable analysis revealed higher anxiety scores were associated with more hospital admissions and higher depression scores were associated with longer length of stay after controlling for other established prognostic risk factors. Depression, anxiety and social support were not associated with mortality, however there was a low mortality rate in the present study.
Conclusion: A comprehensive summary of the characteristics of cardiac rehabilitation patients was gathered through the linkage and examination of existing clinical databases. The results of this study provide some support for a prognostic role of depressive and anxiety symptoms and highlight the need for screening for psychological distress and provision of appropriate interventions when indicated.