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Repeated exposure to systemic inflammation and risk of new depressive symptoms among older adults.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Bell, JA 
Kivimäki, M 
Bullmore, ET 
Steptoe, A 
MRC ImmunoPsychiatry Consortium 

Abstract

Evidence on systemic inflammation as a risk factor for future depression is inconsistent, possibly due to a lack of regard for persistency of exposure. We examined whether being inflamed on multiple occasions increases risk of new depressive symptoms using prospective data from a population-based sample of adults aged 50 years or older (the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing). Participants with less than four of eight depressive symptoms in 2004/05 and 2008/09 based on the Eight-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale were analysed. The number of occasions with C-reactive protein ⩾3 mg l-1 over the same initial assessments (1 vs 0 occasion, and 2 vs 0 occasions) was examined in relation to change in depressive symptoms between 2008/09 and 2012/13 and odds of developing depressive symptomology (having more than or equal to four of eight symptoms) in 2012/13. In multivariable-adjusted regression models (n=2068), participants who were inflamed on 1 vs 0 occasion showed no increase in depressive symptoms nor raised odds of developing depressive symptomology; those inflamed on 2 vs 0 occasions showed a 0.10 (95% confidence intervals (CIs)=-0.07, 0.28) symptom increase and 1.60 (95% CI=1.00, 2.55) times higher odds. In further analyses, 2 vs 0 occasions of inflammation were associated with increased odds of developing depressive symptoms among women (odds ratio (OR)=2.75, 95% CI=1.53, 4.95), but not among men (OR=0.70, 95% CI=0.29, 1.68); P-for-sex interaction=0.035. In this cohort study of older adults, repeated but not transient exposure to systemic inflammation was associated with increased risk of future depressive symptoms among women; this subgroup finding requires confirmation of validity.

Description

Keywords

Aged, Cohort Studies, Depression, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Male, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Risk Factors

Journal Title

Transl Psychiatry

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2158-3188
2158-3188

Volume Title

7

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
MRC (1185)
MRC (unknown)
Medical Research Council (MR/L014815/1)
MQ: Transforming Mental Health (MQ17-24 Vertes)
Medical Research Council (MR/K020706/1)