Freedland KE, Steinmeyer BC, Carney RM, et al. - Increased risk of mortality has been recorded in patients with heart failure (HF) when depression is diagnosed in these patients. Researchers herein aimed at determining if depression is predictive of multiple readmissions in patients hospitalized with HF or multiple hospitalizations are predictive of persistent or worsening depression in these patients.

• In a cohort of 400 patients hospitalized with HF, researchers ascertained all-cause readmissions over a 2-year follow-up.

• Twenty-one percent of these patients were mildly depressed and 22% were severely depressed at enrollment in the study.

• There was predictive value of higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression scores for a higher rate of readmissions.

• Those who were severely depressed had higher readmission rate when compared with those without depression, but no difference was evident between patients who were mildly depressed and patients without depression.

• There appeared no predictive value of multiple readmissions for persistent or worsening depression, but younger patients in higher New York Heart Association classes were more depressed than other patients.

• Overall findings suggest an independent value of depression as a risk factor for multiple all-cause readmissions in patients hospitalized with HF.