Patients' Intensive Telephone-Based Care Program Reduces Depression in Coronary Artery Disease Patients and May Contribute to Favorable Overall Survival by Decreasing Depression

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of patients' intensive telephone-based care program (PITC) on depression and its correlation with overall survival in patients with coronary artery disease who have depression. Methods: A total of 224 patients with coronary artery disease who were complicated with depression were allocated randomly to the PITC group and control group in a 1:1 ratio. In the PITC group, PITC and usual care were performed, whereas in the control group, only usual care was given. Depression was assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression (HADS-D) score and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score. Results: No difference in baseline characteristics was found between the PITC and control groups (all P>.05). There were changes the HADS-D score (P=.002) and SDS score (P=.019) from baseline (M0) to month 12 (M12) in the PITC group. Those in the PITC group had a reduced depression rate (assessed by HADS-D score <8 at month 12) (P=.005). As for overall survival analysis, Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that overall survival was numerically longer in the PITC group compared with the control group but displayed no statistical significance (P=.061), whereas patients without depression at month 12 presented with better overall survival compared with patients with depression at month 12, as assessed by HADS-D (P=.041) or SDS (P=.014). Conclusions: A PITC could serve as an effective means to decrease depression, and it might contribute to favorable overall survival by decreasing depression in patients with coronary artery disease.