Activity tracker may improve life function, depression in patients with CVD risk
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Patients with a history of depression and at risk for CVD who wore an activity tracker for 8 weeks had improvements in life functioning and depression, according to preliminary data from the Healthy Hearts Healthy Minds study presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 53rd Annual Convention.
Selen Amado, BA, clinical research coordinator at the Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues analyzed data from 505 patients at risk for CVD who experienced a major depressive episode. All patients were given a Fitbit, then assigned to web-based cognitive behavioral therapy for 8 weeks, web-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for 8 weeks or no therapy. Patients completed two different assessments at baseline and 8 weeks to collect information on daily life functioning and depressive symptom severity.
There were 105 patients included in the data presented at this meeting. At 8 weeks, there were improvements in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores (P < .001), although there were no differences in patients assigned cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy or no therapy (P = .804).
Patients who had moderately severe to severe depression symptoms at baseline had greater improvements compared with those with minimal to moderate depressive symptoms at baseline (P < .001).
There were also improvements in Sheehan Disability Scale scores at 8 weeks (P < .001), with no differences among groups (P = .137).
“Once the follow-up period is completed, we will also examine whether these improvements in depression and life functioning are mediated by one’s daily physical activity,” Amado and colleagues wrote. – by Darlene Dobkowski
Reference:
Amado S, et al. PS4-A14. Presented at: Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 53rd Annual Convention; Nov. 21-24, 2019; Atlanta.
Disclosure: Cardiology Today could not confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.