Why the study?
C-reactive protein has been linked to anxiety across studies, prompting examination of their association and potential moderation by body mass index.
In a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data, anxiety and depression were not associated with elevated C-reactive protein levels, and this lack of association was not moderated by obesity.
Null cross-sectional results do not support CRP as a mood biomarker; leaves open longitudinal tests of inflammation in anxiety/depression.
The inflammatory marker C-reactive protein has been linked to anxiety across a number of studies. This paper uses data for 1,439 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004 to examine the association between anxiety and C-reactive protein (CRP), and the potential for moderation by body mass index. No association was found between anxiety or depression and CRP in unadjusted or multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses, nor was there evidence of moderation by continuous BMI, BMI class, or obesity. Future studies on the relationship between anxiety and CRP should utilize larger general population samples or populations with a high prevalence of anxiety. There is also a need for prospective studies in this area to better discern the temporal relationships between anxiety and inflammation.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Persons et al. (2019) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: