In reply
We welcome the letter by O’Neil and Sanderson, which in essence deals with the possibility that the results of our study1 depend on group differences in depression, anxiety, and social support. In a previous publication, the levels of depressive mood, anxiety, and social support among 346 cases from our present study population in their first post–myocardial infarction (MI) year were compared with the corresponding data among 610 age-, sex-, and residency-matched referents from the general population.2 Unexpectedly, we found no significant differences between cases and referents regarding everyday life stress, stressful life events, vital exhaustion, depressive mood, coping, or optimism. The cases reported a better social support—quality as well as size of supporting network.