Key result
Individuals with major depression had significantly higher median plasma triglyceride levels (108.0 vs. 84.0 mg/dL) and lower HDL-cholesterol levels (55.0 vs. 61.5 mg/dL) compared to healthy controls.
Why the study?
Does major depression associate with an adverse plasma lipid profile compared to healthy controls?
Cross-Sectional (n=246)
No
Does major depression associate with an adverse plasma lipid profile compared to healthy controls?
Absolute Event Rate: 108% vs 84%
p-value: p=0.014
Individuals with major depression exhibit an adverse plasma lipid profile characterized by higher triglycerides and lower HDL-cholesterol, suggesting a potential need for routine lipid screening to stratify cardiovascular risk in this population.
Higher TG and lower HDL were associated with depression; leaves open whether routine lipid screening improves cardiovascular risk stratification.
BACKGROUND: So far, studies on possible association of plasma lipid levels and depressive disorder are contradictory. This prospective work aimed at assessing a plasma lipid profile in individuals with major depression and healthy controls. METHODS: In total, 94 patients with major depression and 152 healthy controls were included in this prospective study. After an overnight fasting state of 12 h they underwent blood drawing for triglyzerides (TG), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)- and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol measurements. All participants were evaluated in a clinical interview and filled out the self-rating Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) scale to identify depressive symptomatology. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients with major depression showed significantly higher median (interquartile range) plasma TG levels (108.0 [75.8-154.1] vs. 84.0 [63.0-132.2] mg/dL, P = 0.014) and significantly lower HDL-cholesterol levels (55.0 [46.9-123.0] vs. 61.5 [47.4-72.6] mg/dL, P = 0.049) compared to 152 individuals without depression, respectively. Total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were observed slightly higher in patients with major depression. Significant positive correlation was found between TG, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations and the BDI-II score (p = 0.027, 0.048 and 0.018), and in tendency negative correlation between HDL-cholesterol levels and the BDI-II score (P = 0.091), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive individuals were found with adverse plasma lipid patterns of higher TG and lower HDL-cholesterol levels compared to healthy controls. On this basis, the authors would suggest the implementation of routine lipid measurements in order to stratify these patients by their cardiovascular risk.
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Enko et al. (2018) conducted a cross-sectional in Major depression (n=246). Major depression vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Median plasma triglyceride levels (mg/dL) (p=0.014). Individuals with major depression had significantly higher median plasma triglyceride levels (108.0 vs. 84.0 mg/dL) and lower HDL-cholesterol levels (55.0 vs. 61.5 mg/dL) compared to healthy controls.
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