Is a score of 10 or greater on the Beck Depression Inventory equivalent to clinically diagnosed depression?

摘要

We read with great interest the recently published article by Maaike Meurs et al. about examining the relation between post myocardial infarction depression and cardiovascular prognosis using a validated prediction model for post myocardial mortality. In this study, it is regrettable that the authors just used a depression screening instrument (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) to measure depression. Although a score of 10 or greater on the BDI indicates at least mild symptoms of depression, it is not equivalent to clinically diagnosed depression. And the authors also agree with this viewpoint in the discussion section. Therefore, such statement "post myocardial infarction depression" in the title is not accurate enough.