Sex differences and the prognosis of depressive and nondepressive patients with cardiovascular risk factors: the Japan Morning Surge–Home Blood Pressure (J-HOP) study

Depression is associated with mortality in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. The frequency and severity of depression and the association between depression and cardiovascular events have sex-specific and ethnic differences. We conducted this study to evaluate the sex-specific difference in the association between depression and cardiovascular prognosis in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. We enrolled 4025 patients (64.7 ± 10.9 years, 53% women, 47% men) with cardiovascular risk factors in the Japan Morning Surge–Home Blood Pressure study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The follow-up period was 47 ± 24 months. The primary end points were all-cause mortality and nonfatal cardiovascular events. The BDI scores and the prevalence of depression were significantly higher in women than in men. When a BDI score of 16 was the cutoff, the primary end points in the depression group (n = 217) were significantly higher than those in the nondepression group (n = 1677) among men (adjusted hazard ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.17, 2.64; P = 0.007). In women, the primary end points in the depression and nondepression groups were similar when BDI scores of 16, 14, and 10 were the cutoffs. In conclusion, depression defined by a BDI score ≥16 was associated with cardiovascular events in men with cardiovascular risk factors.