Key result
The cardiometabolic depression subtype (n=145) was associated with male sex, more severe depressive symptoms, and lower cognitive functioning compared to the non-cardiometabolic subtype (n=103).
Why the study?
Individuals with depression often present with adverse cardiometabolic risk profiles, but whether a distinct cardiometabolic depression subtype exists and how it associates with clinical characteristics remained uncertain.
Cohort (n=248)
A distinct cardiometabolic depression subtype exists and is associated with more severe depressive symptoms and lower cognitive functioning, highlighting the need for targeted cardiometabolic risk management in these patients.
Supports cardiometabolic depression phenotyping; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
BACKGROUND: Individuals with depression often show an adverse cardiometabolic risk profile and might represent a distinct depression subtype. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a cardiometabolic depression subtype could be identified and to investigate its association with demographics and clinical characteristics (severity, symptomatology, anti-depressant use, persistence and cognitive functioning). METHODS: We used data from The Maastricht Study, a population-based cohort in the southern part of The Netherlands. A total of 248 participants with major depressive disorder were included (mean [SD] age, 58.8 ± 8.5 years; 121 [48.8 %] were men). Major depressive disorder was assessed at baseline by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Cardiometabolic risk factors were defined as indicators of the metabolic syndrome according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. We measured severity and persistence of depressive symptoms by use of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. RESULTS: Latent class analysis resulted in two subtypes, one with cardiometabolic depression (n = 145) and another with non-cardiometabolic depression (n = 103). The cardiometabolic depression subtype was characterized by being male, low education, more severe depressive symptoms, less symptoms of depressed mood and more symptoms of loss of energy, more use of antidepressant medication and lower cognitive functioning. LIMITATIONS: No conclusions can be made about causality. CONCLUSIONS: Latent class analysis suggested a distinct cardiometabolic depression subtype. Participants with cardiometabolic depression differed from participants with non-cardiometabolic depression in terms of demographics and clinical characteristics. The existence of a cardiometabolic depression subtype may indicate the need for prevention and treatment targeting cardiometabolic risk management.
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Geraets et al. (2022) conducted a cohort in Major depressive disorder (n=248). Cardiometabolic depression subtype vs. Non-cardiometabolic depression subtype was evaluated on Demographics and clinical characteristics (severity, symptomatology, anti-depressant use, persistence and cognitive functioning). The cardiometabolic depression subtype (n=145) was associated with male sex, more severe depressive symptoms, and lower cognitive functioning compared to the non-cardiometabolic subtype (n=103).
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