Abstract P129: Telemedicine And Relationship Of Depression Score Improvement To Hypertension Improvement Via Video Visits

Abstract

Telemedicine and Relationship of Depression Score Improvement to Hypertension Improvement via Video Visits Introduction: Our group has elsewhere demonstrated effectiveness of telemedicine video visits nationwide for effective hypertension control. Here we explore associated depression scores, grouping patients into cohorts with improvement in systolic BP and patients with no improvement, over 12 months. Hypothesis: PHQ-9 depression scores may reveal barriers to achieving BP control via video visits. Methods: Quantitative analysis was performed of home video visits coded with Essential Hypertension diagnosis March 2020 through February 2021, the first 12 months of the pandemic. 569 patients with 1785 hypertension visits were in our national telemedicine practice database in the period. Serial PHQ-9 scores were available on 78 patients with multiple hypertension visits. Average percent change in PHQ-9 score was calculated as average change in score / average initial score. Results: Patients with reduction in BP had an average of 3.2 visits. The average number of BP measurements in the multiple visits group was 6.37. Average age of patients was 44. There were 56 patients with PHQ-9 scores with improvement in systolic BPs in the study period. Mean initial PHQ-9 score for this group was 11.79 (SEM = +/- 0.92, SD = +/- 6.87), and mean PHQ-9 score at a subsequent measurement was 7.18 (SEM = +/- 0.72, SD = +/- 5.42) . The average change in score was 4.61 (SEM = +/- 0.92, SD = +/- 6.91). These patients improved their PHQ-9 scores by an average of 39.10% (4.61 of 11.79, SEM = +/- 7.84%, SD = +/- 58.64%). There were 22 patients with PHQ-9 scores with no improvement in systolic BPs in the study period. Mean initial PHQ-9 score for this group was 13.09 (SEM = +/- 1.54, SD = +/- 7.22), and mean PHQ-9 score at a subsequent measurement was 9.5 (SEM = +/- 7.74). The average change in score was 3.59 (SEM = +/- 1.50, SD = +/- 7.01). These patients improved their PHQ-9 scores by an average of 27.40% (3.59 of 13.09, SEM = +/- 11.42%, , SD = +/- 53.58%). Conclusions: These results are hypothesis-generating about possible relationships between depression diagnosis, improvement in management of depression, and hypertension control. Further study of more PHQ-9 data with a larger study sample would be of interest.