Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether depression and anxiety are predictive factors for ischaemic heart disease among adults <60 years. Method A case-control study among active employees of the French nationwide power company (Electricité de France-Gaz de France) analysed men aged 31-55 years who presented an initial clinical form of ischaemic heart disease from 1993 through 1997, collected from the company registry. These 660 men were each matched by age to 10 controls per case. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated by logistic regression.
Results: There was a significant association between ischaemic heart disease and sick-leave for any medical reason in the 3 years before its onset (OR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.50, 2.14). This association was strengthened when only absences for depression and anxiety were considered (OR = 3.10; 95% CI: 2.29, 4.19) and remained important and significant when adjusted for socioeconomic status: OR = 2.66 (95% CI: 1.95, 3.63). A previous sick-leave for depression or anxiety in the 10 years before the heart disease strengthened the association (OR = 3.61; 95% CI: 2.39, 4.45), which was further reinforced by an elevated number (> or =4) of such sick-leaves (OR = 5.11; 95 % CI: 3.11, 8.40).
Conclusion: Depressive and anxiety disorders that lead to absenteeism seem to be associated with an increased risk of ischaemic heart disease in the 3 years thereafter, especially when depression and anxiety were severe and chronic; this association is independent of socioeconomic status.