Psychometric Properties of the Slovenian Version of the Cardiac Depression Scale.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to translate the Cardiac Depression Scale into the Slovenian language and test its validity and reliability on Slovenian patients with heart disease. Methods: A total of 272 patients with heart disease who underwent elective coronary angiography at Celje General Hospital participated in this study. We used the Slovenian Cardiac Depression Scale (S-CDS), the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-20 (CES-D) to collect data. An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity were performed. Results: Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.92 and the test-retest reliability was 0.71. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed six factors, accounting for 61% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two- and one-factor solution had acceptable goodness-of-fit measures. However, we kept a more parsimonious one-factor method, given a high correlation between the two factors and the theoretical background in previous studies. Concurrent validation against the CES-D and the STAI-S showed moderate to strong correlations. Conclusions: The S-CDS is a reliable and valid instrument for screening for depression in Slovenian patients with heart disease.

Evaluating anxiety in elective coronary angiography study: rationale, design, and study methodology.

AIMS: Prevalence of anxiety disorder in coronary artery disease reaches up to 15% and about half of patients with coronary artery disease have anxiety or depression comorbidity. Prevalence of anxiety in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention ranges 24-72%. Depression can often overlap with anxiety symptoms and the evaluation of anxiety in elective coronary angiography study (ANGST) aims to determine the prevalence of anxiety by excluding patients with comorbid depressive symptoms. ANGST also aims to determine how anxiety correlates with psychological parameters (personality traits, coping strategies) and with outcome of elective coronary angiography (ECA). METHODS: We will conduct a prospective single-center cross-section study in patients undergoing ECA. Anxiety will be evaluated at four time points using self-rating questionnaires: 14 days prior to ECA; 2-4 h before ECA; 24 h after ECA, but prior to discharge; and 4-6 weeks after discharge. The primary outcome of ANGST is the burden of anxiety experienced by patients without depressive symptoms and a correlation of anxiety with ECA outcome. CONCLUSION: Our study aims to provide evidence on which personality traits and coping strategies affect the levels of anxiety. We will also determine psychometric properties of the two questionnaires used in our study. The results will have implications for improvement of interventions designed to recognize anxiety and will offer future research of psychological and/or pharmacological interventions to reduce the burden of anxiety.