BDNF as a potential predictor of cardiac and depressive outcomes in patients 6- months after PCI with stent placement

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases, often requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Depressive symptoms can significantly impair post-PCI recovery. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated as a contributor to CAD and depression, however, its exact role remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the association between serum BDNF levels and cardiac and depression outcomes following PCI with stent placement.

This cohort study, with a 6-month follow-up, collected socio-economic, depression and cardiac data, along with serum samples for BDNF level evaluation. Depression was assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). Cardiac assessment included the Seattle Angina Questionnaire Short Form (SAQ-7) and Duke Activity Status Index (DASI). The final sample included 76 participants (mean age 61.4 years, 81.6 % male), of whom 41 presented with depression symptoms. Serum BDNF levels did not differ between groups but were positively correlated with DASI score at baseline and DASI, Physical Limitation SAQ-7 domain, and PHQ-15 scores in the follow-up. Hierarchical regression models showed that serum BDNF level was a significant positive predictor of DASI scores at follow-up (adjusted R² = 0.298), but not of other variables.

Our findings indicate that higher BDNF levels correlate with improved cardiac outcomes post-PCI with stent placement, independent of baseline cardiac status or depression. That suggests that serum BDNF levels may serve as a biomarker for post-PCI recovery, likely due to its role in cardiac myocyte function and vascular stability.