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. 2017 Aug 1;17(1):278.
doi: 10.1186/s12888-017-1405-0.

Retinoids, anxiety and peripartum depressive symptoms among Chinese women: a prospective cohort study

Yingchun Zeng  1 , Yingtao Li  2 , Huaan Xia  1 , Shenglan Wang  3 , Jingxuan Zhou  4 , Dunjin Chen  1
Affiliations

Retinoids, anxiety and peripartum depressive symptoms among Chinese women: a prospective cohort study

Yingchun Zeng et al. BMC Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: The current study aimed to investigate whether serum RBP levels can be a key predictor of peripartum depression (PPD).

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study, conducted at a general teaching hospital in South China. Research participants were evaluated at three time points: the third trimester of pregnancy (T1), after delivery at week one (T2), and after delivery week six (T3) using a set of self-reported questionnaires and blood sample assays.

Results: A total of 156 subjects were included for data analysis. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms ranged from 32.69% to 36.53%. The prevalence of PPD was also high and ranged from 27.56% to 35.89%. In the third trimester, significant predictors of depressive symptoms include serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) concentrations and estradiol levels (P = 0.008 and 0.033, respectively). At one week after delivery, serum concentrations of RBP at T2 were still significant predictors of depressive symptoms (P = 0.020, and serum estradiol concentrations at T1 were a significant predictor (P = 0.010). The most stable predictor of depressive symptoms at T3 was anxiety symptoms, especially at T3 time point (P < 0.001). Serum RBP concentrations at T1 and T2 were still significant predictors of depressive symptoms at T3.

Conclusion: A high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms tended to persist in Chinese women during the peripartum period. This study, which found the potential contribution of RBP to the occurrence of PPD, requires that large sample studies be conducted in future with a longer-term follow-up period, in order to confirm its results.

Keywords: Chinese women; Peripartum depression; Retinoids; Retinol-binding protein.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. All study participants were voluntarily participated in this study and provided written informed consent to participate in this study. The ethical approval letter is available only in Chinese version. If needed, we can send this original letter with English translation for proof.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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