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Background: Depression and cardiovascular diseases are both common among elderly. Depression is suspected to be an independent risk factor for the onset of coronary heart disease, yet it is not clear to what extent and if depression also is associated with the onset of other diseases of the circulatory system. Aims: To estimate the risk of depression as an independent risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and explore the effects of heterogeneity and methodological quality. Method: Meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses of longitudinal cohort and case-control studies reporting depression at baseline and CVD outcomes at follow-up. Data sources: MEDLINE (1966-2005) and PSYCHINFO (1966-2005). Results: Of the 28 studies that met the inclusion criteria, 11 were assesed as high quality studies. Although depressed mood increased the risk for a wide range of CVDs, heterogeneity was substantial in most cases. Only the overall combined risk of depression for the onset of myocardial infarctions (n=8, OR=1.60, 95%CI 1.34-1.92) was homogenous. Clinically diagnosed major depressive disorder was identified as the most important risk factor for developing CVD. Conclusions: Depression seems to be an independent risk factor for the onset of a wide range of CVDs, although this evidence is related to a high level of heterogeneity.

Background: To determine if major depressive disorder (MDD) in older primary care patients is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. Methods: A cohort of 143 primary care patients with depression and 139 non-depressed controls without depression (both aged over 55 years, matched for age and gender) from the Netherlands was evaluated for 2 years. MDD was diagnosed according to DSM-IV-criteria. During the follow-up period, information was collected on physical health, depression status and behavioural risk factors. CVD end points were assessed with validated annual questionnaires and were crosschecked with medical records. Results: Thirty-four participants experienced a cardiovascular event, of which 71 % were depressed: 27/134 with MDD (20.1 %) and 9/137 controls (6.6 %). MDD was associated with a hazard ratio of 2.83 (p value 0,004, 95 % CI 1.32 to 6.05) for cardiovascular events. After adjustment for cardiovascular medication, the hazard ratio was 2.46 (95 % CI 1.14 to 5.30). Conclusions: In a 2-year follow-up period, baseline MDD increased the risk for CVD in older primary care patients compared with controls, over and above well-known cardiovascular risk factors.

O presente estudo analisa a comunicação da responsabilidade social empresarial (RSE) pela internet baseado no conjunto de indicadores denominado Índice de Comunicação da Responsabilidade Social pela Web (CSRIDOW). Os dados foram coletados nos websites corporativos de 124 grandes empresas de 12 países considerados emergentes no intuito de investigar a existência de: diferença entre a comunicação da RSE pela internet nos anos 2007 e 2012; e correlação entre a comunicação da RSE pela internet e o desempenho financeiro das empresas. Para analisar os dados e testar hipóteses foram utilizadas estatísticas descritivas, correlação bivariada e teste de diferença de média. Como resultado, constatou-se diferença na comunicação da RSE pela internet entre os anos pesquisados, e não foi observada correlação entre comunicação da RSE pela internet e desempenho financeiro. Identificou-se o crescimento da divulgação da RSE pela internet em 2012 em relação a 2007. O maior crescimento em CSRIDOW deu-se nas empresas chinesas, que comunicam a RSE em seus websites em 2012 três vezes mais do que em 2007.