Protective Effect of Regular Physical Activity on Depression After Myocardial Infarction: The HUNT Study

Linda Ernstsen; Vegar Rangul; Javaid Nauman; Bjarne M Nes; Håvard Dalen; Steinar Krokstad; Carl J Lavie; Steven N Blair; Ulrik Wisløff

doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.08.012

Protective Effect of Regular Physical Activity on Depression After Myocardial Infarction: The HUNT Study

Am J Med. 2016 Jan;129(1):82-88.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.08.012. Epub 2015 Aug 21.

Authors

Linda Ernstsen¹, Vegar Rangul², Javaid Nauman³, Bjarne M Nes³, Håvard Dalen⁴, Steinar Krokstad⁵, Carl J Lavie⁶, Steven N Blair⁷, Ulrik Wisløff³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health and Social Science, Sør-Trøndelag University College, Trondheim, Norway; K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine, Department Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: linda.ernstsen@hist.no.
² Faculty of Health Science, Nord-Trøndelag University College, Levanger, Norway; HUNT Research Centre, Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
³ K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine, Department Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ MI Lab & Department of Circulation & Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Levanger Hospital, Health Trust Nord-Trøndelag, Levanger, Norway.
⁵ HUNT Research Centre, Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Psychiatric Department, Levanger Hospital, Health Trust Nord-Trøndelag, Levanger, Norway.
⁶ Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-The University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, La.
⁷ Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

PMID: 26302141
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.08.012

Abstract

Purpose: To study if physical activity within the recommended level over time was associated with risk of developing depression after the first myocardial infarction in older adults.

Methods: Men (n = 143) and women (n = 46) who had reached the age of 60 years in 2006-2008 who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT1, 1984-1986; HUNT2, 1995-1997; HUNT3, 2006-2008) without any mental illness or cardiovascular disease at baseline in HUNT2 and who experienced their first myocardial infarction before HUNT3 were included. Based on the patterns of physical activity from HUNT1 to HUNT2, the sample was divided into 4 groups: persistently inactive, from active to inactive, from inactive to active, and persistently active. The primary outcome, post-myocardial infarction depression symptoms, was measured with the Hospital, Anxiety and Depression Scale in HUNT3.

Results: In HUNT3, 11% of participants had depression. After multivariable adjustment, those who were persistently active had significantly lower odds of being depressed (odds ratio 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.98) compared with those who were persistently inactive. Additionally, a significant test for trend (P = .033) of lowering odds of depression was observed across all 4 categories of physical activity patterns at baseline.

Conclusions: In this small sample of initially healthy adults, we observed a long-term protective effect of regular physical activity on the development of depression following myocardial infarction.

Keywords: Depression; Myocardial infarction; Physical activity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Depression / prevention & control*
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Leisure Activities
Male
Middle Aged
Motor Activity*
Myocardial Infarction / psychology*
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors