1. Översiktlig projektbeskrivning

Engelsk titel

Depressive symptoms and health-care utilization in patients with non-cardiac chest pain compared to patients with ischemic heart disease

Sammanfattning av projektet

Background: More than half of patients admitted to hospital for acute chest pain are diagnosed as having non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). While there are well established guidelines for diagnosing and treating patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), the approach for treating patients with NCCP is often arbitrary and insufficient, possibly leading to mental distress and increased health care utilization.

Objectives: To compare depressive symptoms and health care utilization in patients admitted for later proven NCCP compared to patients with IHD presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and Angina Pectoris (AP) over a one-year follow-up after an acute chest pain event.

Methods: A longitudinal, descriptive and comparative design was used. In total 131 patients with NCCP, 66 with AMI and 70 with AP completed two depression screening questionnaires after the hospital stay and one year later. Data on health care utilization were collected from a population-based diagnose-related database.

Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board in Linköping (code M12-08 and M12-08 T118-09).

Results: Depressive symptoms were found in 27% of the participants at the time of the acute chest pain event and in 26% one year later. No difference was disclosed between the groups neither at baseline nor at follow-up. At follow-up, 17 patients had recovered from their depressive symptoms, 37 patients were still having depressive symptoms, and 26 new patients had developed depressive symptoms. Patients diagnosed with NCCP visited health care providers within primary care as often as patients diagnosed with AMI, but had fewer hospital admissions. Patients with AP and patients with depressive symptoms utilized more health care services than the others.

Conclusions: Persisting depressive symptoms are frequently seen among patients with NCCP as are in patients with IHD. NCCP patients utilize as much primary care as AMI patients, but less hospital care. This might imply a need for interventions targeting depressive symptoms in patients with NCCP and IHD.

Typ av projekt

Forskningsprojekt

MeSH-termer för att beskriva ämnesområdet

Inlagda MeSH-termer

Chest Pain

Pressure, burning, or numbness in the chest.

Depression

Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with major depression present in neurotic and psychotic disorders.

Length of Stay

The period of confinement of a patient to a hospital or other health facility.

Projektets delaktighet i utbildning

Avhandling
D-uppsats / Magisterexamen
C-uppsats / Kandidatexamen
ST-läkarutbildning
Annan utbildning
Ej del i utbildning

3. Processen och projektets redovisning

Pågående aktiviteter

Planering och förberedelse före datainsamling
Datainsamling pågår
Analys av insamlade data pågår
Författande av skriftlig redovisning / publikation pågår
En eller flera publikationer från projektet är publicerade
Slutfört och inget mer görs inom ramen för detta projekt

Projektstart (när planeringen påbörjas och börjar dokumenteras skriftligt)

2008-08-15