Pharmacological Restoration of mOod in HEART Failure: outcomes of the PRO-HEART trial
Abstract Background Depression is common in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Anti-depressant medication has shown benefits in coronary artery disease but efficacy has not been demonstrated in CHF patients. Purpose To assess whether escitalopram is more effective than placebo in treating major and/or minor depression in patients with CHF. Methods This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group study. Adult patients with systolic CHF (NYHA Class ≥2, nadir LVEF <40%) were screened for depression using the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) for a score ≥95 (sensitivity 97% at 85% specificity for major Depression (MDD)) followed by a clinical diagnosis of major or minor depression using the SCID interview. Patients were randomised to active escitalopram or matching placebo for 6 months, stratified for major or minor depression. Blinded therapy started with 5mg with automatic uptitration to 10mg after 2 weeks and further uptitration to 20mg at 2 months if CDS score remained ≥95. The primary end-point was change in CDS score over 6 months with secondary end-point change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Results Of 28 CHF patients (males = 25; mean age = 63.61±10.32), mean CHF diagnosis 5.8 years, ischaemic aetiology (n=18), entry LVEF 42.2±9.6%; eGFR 61.8±15.4, 14 were diagnosed with major and 14 with minor depression. Two-way Mixed Model ANOVA showed a significant improvement from baseline to 6 months in both CDS (F(1,25)=18.76, p<0.001) and HAM-D (F(1,25)=17.32, p<0.001), but no significant interaction between condition and change over time. Three-way Mixed Model ANOVA showed no interaction between baseline depression diagnosis (Major or Minor) and response to treatment by condition. There were 7 SAEs for hospitalisation, unrelated to study medications and no differences between groups on AE/SAEs. Conclusions Patients showed a significant improvement in depression with both placebo and active drug but with no benefit of escitalopram over placebo. This suggests that there is no additional benefit from antidepressant therapy for CHF patients beyond that conferred by placebo. Further research is needed to explore whether greater benefits might be achieved by combination therapies or in particular subgroups of depressed CHF patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): National Heart Foundation of Australia, Beyond Blue