Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia ()

Persistent Depressive Symptoms are Independent Predictors of Low-Grade Inflammation Onset Among Healthy Individuals

  • Fábio Gazelato de Mello Franco,
  • Antonio Gabriele Laurinavicius,
  • Paulo A. Lotufo,
  • Raquel D. Conceição,
  • Fernando Morita,
  • Marcelo Katz,
  • Maurício Wajngarten,
  • José Antonio Maluf Carvalho,
  • Hayden B. Bosworth,
  • Raul Dias Santos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5935/abc.20170080
Journal volume & issue
no. 0

Abstract

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Abstract Background: Depressive symptoms are independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among individuals with non-diagnosed CVD. The mechanisms underlying this association, however, remain unclear. Inflammation has been indicated as a possible mechanistic link between depression and CVD. Objectives: This study evaluated the association between persistent depressive symptoms and the onset of low-grade inflammation. Methods: From a database of 1,508 young (mean age: 41 years) individuals with no CVD diagnosis who underwent at least two routine health evaluations, 134 had persistent depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory - BDI ≥ 10, BDI+) and 1,374 had negative symptoms at both time points (BDI-). All participants had been submitted to repeated clinical and laboratory evaluations at a regular follow-up with an average of 26 months from baseline. Low-grade inflammation was defined as plasma high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (CRP) concentrations > 3 mg/L. The outcome was the incidence of low-grade inflammation evaluated by the time of the second clinical evaluation. Results: The incidence of low-grade inflammation was more frequently observed in the BDI+ group compared to the BDI- group (20.9% vs. 11.4%; p = 0.001). After adjusting for sex, age, waist circumference, body mass index, levels of physical activity, smoking, and prevalence of metabolic syndrome, persistent depressive symptoms remained an independent predictor of low-grade inflammation onset (OR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.03-3.02; p = 0.04). Conclusions: Persistent depressive symptoms were independently associated with low-grade inflammation onset among healthy individuals.

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