Background In adults with acquired heart disease, depression is common and associated with adverse outcomes. Depression may also be important in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods and Results We conducted a cohort study of outpatients with CHD, aged ≥18 years, enrolled in a prospective biobank between 2012 and 2017. Clinical data were extracted from medical records. Survival analysis assessed the relationship between depression, defined by a history of clinical diagnosis of major depression, with all-cause mortality and a composite outcome of death or nonelective cardiovascular hospitalization. A total of 1146 patients were enrolled (age, 38.5±13.8 years; 49.6% women). Depression had been diagnosed in 219 (prevalence=19.1%), and these patients were more likely to have severely complex CHD (41.3% versus 33.7%; P=0.028), cyanosis (12.1% versus 5.7%; P=0.003), and worse functional class (≥II; 33.3% versus 20.4%; P<0.0001), and to be taking antidepressant medication at time of enrollment (68.5% versus 5.7%; P<0.0001). Depression was associated with biomarkers indicative of inflammation (hsCRP [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein], 1.71 [25th-75th percentile, 0.82-4.47] versus 1.10 [0.45-2.40]; P<0.0001) and heart failure (NT-proBNP [N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide], 190 [92-501] versus 111 [45-264]; P<0.0001). During follow-up of 605±547 days, 137 participants (12.0%) experienced the composite outcome, including 33 deaths (2.9%). Depression was associated with increased risk for both all-cause mortality (multivariable hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4-6.4; P=0.005) and the composite outcome (multivariable hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.5; P=0.025), adjusting for age, sex, history of atrial arrhythmia, systolic ventricular function, CHD complexity, and corrected QT interval. Conclusions In adults with CHD, major depression is associated with impaired functional status, heart failure, systemic inflammation, and increased risk for adverse outcomes.
Keywords: adult congenital heart disease; adverse effects; biomarkers; depression; prognosis; survival.