Depression and calcification in aortic root and coronary arteries

Objective: We study, in adults of both genders, the association between depression and the simultaneous presence of calcification in coronary arteries and aortic root from one side, and between depression and the presence ofcoronary calcification only, on the other side. Methods: This is a transversal study. Asymptomatic patients over 21 years old were studied. They had not coronary antecedents, and were selected from a group with an angiotomography indication ordered by their physicians. Depression scales were administered to these persons aiming to evaluate the possibility of an associated depressive disorder. Results: 60 adults, 30 men and 30 women, mean 51±5 years old. We found an association of higher strength between depression and calcification in two locations (coronary and aortic calcification) than in one location (coronary calcification only). People with coronary and aortic calcification scored higher in depression tests than people with coronary calcification only. Conclusions: The present study has limitations due to sample size and design used. However, the results suggest it could be worthwhile to study a larger sample with a prospective design, considering other intervening variables. Findings of the present work were confirmed the simultaneous presence of depression and atherosclerotic lesions. It strongly suggests two questions: whether treating depression could modify the process of evolution of lesions and vice versa, and whether a therapeutic intervention on both (atherosclerotic disease and depression) would be more successful than treating atherosclerotic disease only.