TY - JOUR
T1 - Inflammatory markers and depressed mood in older persons
T2 - Results from the health, aging and body composition study
AU - Penninx, Brenda W.J.H.
AU - Kritchevsky, Stephen B.
AU - Yaffe, Kristine
AU - Newman, Anne B.
AU - Simonsick, Eleanor M.
AU - Rubin, Susan
AU - Ferrucci, Luigi
AU - Harris, Tamara
AU - Pahor, Marco
PY - 2003/9/1
Y1 - 2003/9/1
N2 - Background: Patients with major depression have elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines. We examined the link between inflammatory markers and depressed mood in a community-based sample of older people. Methods: Data are from 3024 well-functioning older persons, 70-79 years of age, participating in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. Depressed mood was defined as a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale score of 16 or higher. Plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Results: Compared with the 2879 nondepressed subjects, the 145 persons with depressed mood had higher median plasma levels of IL-6 (2.04 vs. 1.83 pg/mL, p = .02), TNF-α (3.43 vs. 3. 16 pg/mL, p = .05), and CRP (1.96 vs. 1.66 mg/L, p = .03). After adjustment for health and demographic variables, depressed mood was especially prevalent among persons who had a high (above median) plasma level for at least two of the inflammatory markers. Compared with those without high levels, for persons with a high level for two or all three markers the risk of depressed mood was 2.45 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34-4.47) and 2.40 (95% CI = 1.27-4.53), respectively. The association between depressed mood and serum level of IL-6 was significantly stronger in men than in women. Conclusions: In old age, depressed mood is associated with high levels of inflammatory markers, suggesting that depressed mood is causing and/or caused by systemic inflammation.
AB - Background: Patients with major depression have elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines. We examined the link between inflammatory markers and depressed mood in a community-based sample of older people. Methods: Data are from 3024 well-functioning older persons, 70-79 years of age, participating in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. Depressed mood was defined as a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale score of 16 or higher. Plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Results: Compared with the 2879 nondepressed subjects, the 145 persons with depressed mood had higher median plasma levels of IL-6 (2.04 vs. 1.83 pg/mL, p = .02), TNF-α (3.43 vs. 3. 16 pg/mL, p = .05), and CRP (1.96 vs. 1.66 mg/L, p = .03). After adjustment for health and demographic variables, depressed mood was especially prevalent among persons who had a high (above median) plasma level for at least two of the inflammatory markers. Compared with those without high levels, for persons with a high level for two or all three markers the risk of depressed mood was 2.45 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34-4.47) and 2.40 (95% CI = 1.27-4.53), respectively. The association between depressed mood and serum level of IL-6 was significantly stronger in men than in women. Conclusions: In old age, depressed mood is associated with high levels of inflammatory markers, suggesting that depressed mood is causing and/or caused by systemic inflammation.
KW - C-reactive protein
KW - Depression
KW - Inflammation
KW - Interleukin-6
KW - Old age
KW - Tumor necrosis factor α
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0142042989&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3223(02)01811-5
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3223(02)01811-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 12946885
SN - 0006-3223
VL - 54
SP - 566
EP - 572
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
IS - 5
ER -