Arq. Bras. Cardiol. 2017; 109(2): 103-109

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: 10.5935/abc.20170080

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.