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. 2017 Jun 29;109(2):0.
doi: 10.5935/abc.20170080.

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

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Fábio Gazelato de Mello Franco  1 , Antonio Gabriele Laurinavicius  1 , Paulo A Lotufo  2 , Raquel D Conceição  1 , Fernando Morita  1 , Marcelo Katz  1 , Maurício Wajngarten  1 , José Antonio Maluf Carvalho  1 , Hayden B Bosworth  3 , Raul Dias Santos  4
Affiliations

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

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Fábio Gazelato de Mello Franco et al. Arq Bras Cardiol. .

Erratum in

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

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.

Fundamento: Sintomas depressivos estão associados de forma independente ao risco aumentado de doença cardiovascular (DCV) em indivíduos com DCV não diagnosticada. Os mecanismos subjacentes a essa associação, entretanto, não estão claros. Inflamação tem sido indicada como um possível elo mecanicista entre depressão e DCV.

Objetivos: Este estudo avaliou a associação entre sintomas depressivos persistentes e o início de inflamação de baixo grau.

Métodos: De um banco de dados de 1.508 indivíduos jovens (idade média: 41 anos) sem diagnóstico de DCV submetidos a pelo menos duas avaliações de saúde de rotina, 134 tinham sintomas depressivos persistentes (Inventário de Depressão de Beck - BDI ≥10, BDI+) e 1.374 não apresentavam sintomas em nenhuma das ocasiões (BDI-). Todos os participantes foram submetidos a repetidas avaliações clínicas e laboratoriais em seguimento regular, cuja média foi de 26 meses desde a condição basal. Definiu-se inflamação de baixo grau como concentração plasmática de proteína C reativa (PCR) ultrassensível > 3 mg/L. O desfecho foi a incidência de inflamação de baixo grau por ocasião da segunda avaliação clínica.

Resultados: A incidência de inflamação de baixo grau foi maior no grupo BDI+ em comparação ao grupo BDI- (20,9% vs. 11,4%; p = 0,001). Após ajuste para sexo, idade, circunferência abdominal, índice de massa corporal, níveis de atividade física, tabagismo e prevalência de síndrome metabólica, os sintomas depressivos persistentes continuaram sendo um preditor independente de início de inflamação de baixo grau (OR = 1,76; IC 95%: 1,03-3,02; p = 0,04).

Conclusões: Sintomas depressivos persistentes foram independentemente associados com início de inflamação de baixo grau em indivíduos saudáveis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential Conflict of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

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