Association Between Major Depressive Disorder and Heart Rate Variability in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA)

• DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.65.12.1358
• Publication Date: 2008-12-01T21:17:16Z
• Authors: Carmilla M. M. Licht; Eco J. C. de Geus; Frans G. Zitman; Witte J. G. Hooge...; Richard van Dyck; Brenda W. J. H. P...
• Keywords: Vagal Tone; Depression

<h3>Context</h3> It has been hypothesized that depression is associated with lower heart rate variability and decreased cardiac vagal control. This may play an important role in the risk of cardiovascular disease among depressed individuals. <h3>Objective</h3> To determine whether was individuals than healthy controls a large adult sample. <h3>Design</h3> Cross-sectional analyses from cohort study. <h3>Setting</h3> The Netherlands Study Depression Anxiety. <h3>Participants</h3> Two thousand three hundred seventy-three (mean age, 41.8 years; 66.8% female) who participated Included were 524 controls, 774 diagnosis major depressive disorder (MDD) earlier life (remitted MDD), 1075 current MDD based on Composite International Diagnostic Interview. sample sufficiently powered to examine confounding effects lifestyle, comorbid anxiety, antidepressants. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> standard deviation normal-to-normal beats (SDNN) control, as indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), measured during 1½ hours ambulatory recording electrocardiograms thorax impedance. Multivariate conducted compare SDNN RSA across groups after adjustment for demographics, health, psychoactive medication. <h3>Results</h3> Individuals remitted had mean compared (SDNN, 3.1-5.7 milliseconds shorter,<i>P</i> ≤ .02; RSA, 5.1-7.1 &lt; .001; effect size, 0.125-0.269). Comorbid anxiety lifestyle did not reduce these associations. However, accounting medication removed association strongly attenuated RSA. Depressed using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, or other antidepressants significantly shorter SDNNs RSAs (effect 0.207-0.862) taking <h3>Conclusions</h3> study shows lowered variability. this appears be mainly driven