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. 2023 Oct;96(8):1101-1111.
doi: 10.1007/s00420-023-01993-6. Epub 2023 Jun 27.

Association of volatile organic compounds exposure with the risk of depression in U.S. adults: a cross‑sectional study from NHANES 2013-2016

Yue Zhu  1 , Yinghui Ju  1 , Menglin Wang  1 , Yuying Yang  1 , Rui Wu  2
Affiliations

Association of volatile organic compounds exposure with the risk of depression in U.S. adults: a cross‑sectional study from NHANES 2013-2016

Yue Zhu et al. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a broad class of chemicals, and previous studies showed that VOCs could increase the risk of central nervous system disorders. However, few studies have comprehensively explored their association with depression among general adults.

Objective: We aimed to explore the association between blood VOCs and depression risk based on a large cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: We analyzed data from 3449 American adults in the NHANES 2013-2016. Survey-weighted logistic regression model was used to explore the association of ten blood VOCs with depression. Subsequently, the relative importance of the selected VOCs was determined using the XGBoost model. The weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression model was used to explore the overall association of 10 blood VOCs with depression. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify high-risk populations. Finally, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was utilized to explore the dose-response relationship between blood VOCs and the risk of depression.

Results: XGBoost Algorithm model identified blood 2,5-dimethylfuran was the most critical variable in depression. The logistic regression model showed that blood benzene, blood 2,5-dimethylfuran, and blood furan showed a positive correlation with depression. In subgroup analysis, we found that the effects of the above VOCs on depression existed among the female, young middle-aged, and overweight-obese population. Mixture VOCs exposure was positively associated with depression risk (OR = 2.089, 95% CI: 1.299-3.361), and 2,5-dimethylfuran had the largest weights in WQS regression. RCS displayed that blood benzene, blood 2,5-dimethylfuran, and blood furan were positively associated with depression.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that VOCs exposure was associated with an increased prevalence of depression in U.S. adults. Women, young and middle-aged, and overweight-obese populations are more vulnerable to VOCs.

Keywords: Adults; Depression; NHANES; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

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