Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT00998400

Treatment of Depression in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Patients

Emotional states of depression in association with ischemic heart diseases, such as myocardial infarction or unstable angina, are risk factors for subsequent cardiac events and mortality. However, the only psychological intervention trial attempting to reduce cardiac risk in depressed ACS patients showed that changes in depression did not translate into improved survival. Such intervention did not address issues such as lifestyle modification and improvement in psychological well-being, which were found to affect individual vulnerability to medical disease. Our research group has developed a well-being enhancing psychotherapeutic strategy, well-being therapy (WBT), which has been validated in a number of clinical trials. The aim of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) together with lifestyle modification and WBT in reducing cardiac risk in depressed and/or demoralized ACS patients compared to a standard clinical procedure of patients' management, the clinical management (CM). The same protocol will be carried out in two centres (Bologna and Torino). 100 patients after a first episode of myocardial infarction or unstable angina, meeting DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorders and DCPR criteria for demoralization will be randomized to one of two treatment groups: 1) CBT supplemented by lifestyle modification and WBT; 2) CM. In both groups, treatment will consist of twelve, 45-minute sessions once a week. A two-year follow-up will be performed. It is expected that psychological treatment may significantly decrease cardiac morbidity and mortality at follow-up compared to clinical management. The findings may entail considerable preventive implications and possible large reductions in health costs.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Depression Acute Coronary Syndrome Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Cardiovascular Diseases Heart Diseases Myocardial Ischemia Vascular Diseases

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy

Loading trial locations.

About this study

The same protocol will be carried out in the two participating centres (Maggiore Hospital in Bologna and San Giovanni Battista Hospital in Torino).

Participants will be patients recovering from a first episode of acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Myocardial infarction will be documented by cardiac symptoms (presence of acute chest, epigastric, neck, jaw, or arm pain or discomfort or pressure without apparent non- cardiac source) and signs (acute congestive heart failure or cardiogenic shock in the absence of non-CHD causes) associated with ECG findings (characteristic evolutionary ST-T changes or new Q waves) and/or cardiac biomarkers (blood measures of myocardial necrosis, specifically CK, CK-MB, CK-MBm, or troponin, cTn). Instable angina will be documented by cardiac symptoms (chest pain lasting less than 20 minutes) with likely ECG findings (ST-segment depression and abnormal T-wave) in absence of myocardial necrosis biomarkers.

Medically eligible patients involved in the study have to meet, when screened 30 days after their index event, the inclusion criteria

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • a current diagnosis of at least one of the following: major or minor depression, dysthymia according to DSM-IV criteria, and demoralization according to DCPR criteria
  • Mini-Mental State Examination score higher than 24
  • written informed consent provided by the patient to participate

Exclusion criteria

  • history of bipolar disorder (DSM-IV criteria)
  • major depression with psychotic features
  • history of substance abuse or dependency during the previous 12 months
  • serious suicide risk
  • current use of antidepressants
  • current treatment with any form of psychotherapy

Treatment and study plan

CBT in combination with WBT and life style modification

Behavioral

CBT involves several essential features: identifying and correcting inaccurate thoughts associated with depressed feelings (cognitive restructuring); helping patients to engage more often in enjoyable activities (behavioral activation); enhancing problem-solving skills; providing instruction and guidance in specific strategies for solving problems. The techniques included in WBT may be used in overcoming impairments in environmental mastery, purpose in life, personal growth, autonomy, self-acceptance and positive relations with others. CM will consist of reviewing the patients' clinical status, and providing the patient with support and advice if necessary.

Other names: Cognitive-behavioural therapies

Primary outcomes

  1. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy as Assessed by Changes in Clinical Interview for Depression, Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Paykel's 20-item change version of the Clinical Interview for Depression (CID) allows a comprehensive assessment of affective symptomatology and contains 20 items rated on 7-point scales with specification of each anchor point based on severity, frequency and/or quality of symptoms. It adds a dimensional description of mental suffering to traditional psychiatric nosography (DSM). The total score is obtained by adding each of 20 items and it may range from 20 to 140. The higher the score, the worse the psychological condition.

  2. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy as Assessed by Changes in Symptom Questionnaire ("Anxiety" Subscale), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Anxious symptoms subscale of Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). SQ is a 92-item self-report questionnaire, which yields 4 main scales including 23 items each: "depression", "anxiety", "hostility-irritability" and "somatization". This instrument helps the identification of self-perceived subclinical psychological distress. Answers are dichotomous (YES/NO or TRUE/FALSE) and rated with 0 or 1, therefore each scale score may range from 0 to 23. The higher the total score, the higher the psychological distress.

  3. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy Assessed by Changes in Psychological Well-Being Scales ("Autonomy" Dimension), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Autonomy dimension of the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB). PWB, an 84-item questionnaire with a multidimensional structure, has been used to evaluate the six psychological well-being dimensions conceptualized by Carol Ryff (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships, purpose in life, self-acceptance), which include 14 items each. Every item is defined in terms of high or low agreement on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 6); therefore each scale score may range from 14 to 84, with higher scores corresponding to greater psychological well-being.

  4. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy as Assessed by Changes in Symptom Questionnaire ("Depression" Subscale), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Depressive symptoms subscale of Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). SQ is a 92-item self-report questionnaire, which yields 4 main scales including 23 items each: "depression", "anxiety", "hostility-irritability" and "somatization". This instrument helps the identification of self-perceived subclinical psychological distress. Answers are dichotomous (YES/NO or TRUE/FALSE) and rated with 0 or 1, therefore each scale score may range from 0 to 23. The higher the total score, the higher the psychological distress.

  5. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy as Assessed by Changes in Symptom Questionnaire ("Somatization" Subscale), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Somatic symptoms subscale of Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). SQ is a 92-item self-report questionnaire, which yields 4 main scales including 23 items each: "depression", "anxiety", "hostility-irritability" and "somatization". This instrument helps the identification of self-perceived subclinical psychological distress. Answers are dichotomous (YES/NO or TRUE/FALSE) and rated with 0 or 1, therefore each scale score may range from 0 to 23. The higher the total score, the higher the psychological distress.

  6. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy as Assessed by Changes in Symptom Questionnaire ("Hostility" Subscale), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Hostility symptoms subscale of Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). SQ is a 92-item self-report questionnaire, which yields 4 main scales including 23 items each: "depression", "anxiety", "hostility-irritability" and "somatization". This instrument helps the identification of self-perceived subclinical psychological distress. Answers are dichotomous (YES/NO or TRUE/FALSE) and rated with 0 or 1, therefore each scale score may range from 0 to 23. The higher the total score, the higher the psychological distress.

  7. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy Assessed by Changes in Psychological Well-Being Scales ("Environmental Mastery" Dimension), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Environmental mastery dimension of the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB). PWB, an 84-item questionnaire with a multidimensional structure, has been used to evaluate the six psychological well-being dimensions conceptualized by Carol Ryff (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships, purpose in life, self-acceptance), which include 14 items each. Every item is defined in terms of high or low agreement on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 6); therefore each scale score may range from 14 to 84, with higher scores corresponding to greater psychological well-being.

  8. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy Assessed by Changes in Psychological Well-Being Scales ("Personal Growth" Dimension), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Personal growth dimension of the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB). PWB, an 84-item questionnaire with a multidimensional structure, has been used to evaluate the six psychological well-being dimensions conceptualized by Carol Ryff (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships, purpose in life, self-acceptance), which include 14 items each. Every item is defined in terms of high or low agreement on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 6); therefore each scale score may range from 14 to 84, with higher scores corresponding to greater psychological well-being.

  9. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy Assessed by Changes in Psychological Well-Being Scales ("Positive Relations" Dimension), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Positive relations dimension of the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB). PWB, an 84-item questionnaire with a multidimensional structure, has been used to evaluate the six psychological well-being dimensions conceptualized by Carol Ryff (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships, purpose in life, self-acceptance), which include 14 items each. Every item is defined in terms of high or low agreement on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 6); therefore each scale score may range from 14 to 84, with higher scores corresponding to greater psychological well-being.

  10. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy Assessed by Changes in Psychological Well-Being Scales ("Purpose in Life" Dimension), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Purpose in life dimension of the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB). PWB, an 84-item questionnaire with a multidimensional structure, has been used to evaluate the six psychological well-being dimensions conceptualized by Carol Ryff (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships, purpose in life, self-acceptance), which include 14 items each. Every item is defined in terms of high or low agreement on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 6); therefore each scale score may range from 14 to 84, with higher scores corresponding to greater psychological well-being.

  11. Depression and Well-being Improvements After Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Well-Being Therapy Assessed by Changes in Psychological Well-Being Scales ("Self-acceptance" Dimension), Compared to Clinical Management

    Time frame: Pre-Treatment, Immediately Post-Treatment, 3-, 6-, 12-, 30-month follow-up

    Self-acceptance dimension of the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB). PWB, an 84-item questionnaire with a multidimensional structure, has been used to evaluate the six psychological well-being dimensions conceptualized by Carol Ryff (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships, purpose in life, self-acceptance), which include 14 items each. Every item is defined in terms of high or low agreement on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 6); therefore each scale score may range from 14 to 84, with higher scores corresponding to greater psychological well-being.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants With Hospitalizations for Cardiac Problems, Revascularization, Recurrent Nonfatal Myocardial Infarction or Cardiac Mortality at 30-month Follow-up.

    Time frame: 30-month follow-up post-treatment

    Frequencies of negative cardiac outcomes, such as re-hospitalizations due to cardiac complications, acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, angioplasty, cardiac surgery, and cardiac mortality occuring after the first episode of ACS.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Bologna

Other

Collaborators

  • Compagnia di San Paolo

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive-behavioral Treatment of Depression in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Acronym: TREATED-ACS

Important dates

Study start
2010
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Oct 20, 2009
Registry last updated
Feb 11, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.