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. 2024 Apr 18:38:100773.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100773. eCollection 2024 Jul.

The association between depressive symptoms and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: Is body mass index a moderator?

Vanessa K Tassone  1 , Michelle Wu  1 , Shakila Meshkat  1 , Sophie F Duffy  1 , Smia Baig  1 , Hyejung Jung  2 , Wendy Lou  2 , Venkat Bhat  1   3   4   5
Affiliations

The association between depressive symptoms and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: Is body mass index a moderator?

Vanessa K Tassone et al. Brain Behav Immun Health. .

Abstract

Objective: Depression and obesity are highly comorbid conditions with shared biological mechanisms. It remains unclear how depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI) interact in relation to inflammation. This cross-sectional study investigated the independent associations of depressive symptoms and BMI with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), as well as the moderating role of BMI on the depressive symptoms-hs-CRP association.

Methods: Participants (n = 8827) from the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were aged ≥20 with a BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2, completed the Depression Screener, and had hs-CRP data. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze hs-CRP in relation to depressive symptoms and BMI. An interaction term was included to examine whether the depressive symptoms-hs-CRP relationship differs depending on BMI.

Results: There was a slight, albeit non-significant, increase in hs-CRP levels with each one-point increase in depressive symptoms (aCoef.Estm. = 0.01, 95% CI = -0.05, 0.06, p = 0.754). Participants with overweight (aCoef.Estm. = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.61, 1.53, p < 0.001) or obese (aCoef.Estm. = 3.51, 95% CI = 3.04, 3.98, p < 0.001) BMIs had higher mean hs-CRP levels than those with a healthy BMI. There were no significant interactions between depressive symptoms and overweight (aCoef.Estm. = 0.04, 95% CI = -0.04, 0.13, p = 0.278) or obese (aCoef.Estm. = 0.11, 95% CI = -0.01, 0.22, p = 0.066) BMI indicating a lack of difference in the depressive symptoms-hs-CRP association across participants in the healthy versus overweight and obese ranges.

Conclusions: This study suggests that BMI might not act as a moderator in the association between depressive symptoms and hs-CRP. Results should be replicated in larger samples. Further research is warranted to understand underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: Body mass index; C-reactive protein; Depressive disorder; Inflammation; Obesity; Overweight.

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Conflict of interest statement

VKT, MW, SM, SFD, SB, HJ, and WL do not have any disclosures. VB is supported by an Academic Scholar Award from the 10.13039/501100003579University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry and has received research support from the 10.13039/501100000024Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Brain & Behavior Foundation, Ontario 10.13039/100009647Ministry of Health Innovation Funds, 10.13039/100014735Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Department of National Defence (10.13039/501100000023Government of Canada), New Frontiers in Research Fund, 10.13039/501100000199Associated Medical Services Inc. Healthcare, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Roche Canada, Novartis, and Eisai.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Participant inclusion flowchart. Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; DPQ = Mental Health - Depression Screener; hs-CRP = high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; NHANES = National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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