Key result
Young people at increased familial risk of depression demonstrated significantly higher peripheral systolic blood pressure (115.1 vs 111.3 mmHg) and diminished insulin sensitivity compared to matched healthy controls.
Why the study?
Do young people at increased familial risk of depression have altered metabolic and blood pressure markers compared to healthy controls?
Cross-Sectional (n=154)
No
Do young people at increased familial risk of depression have altered metabolic and blood pressure markers compared to healthy controls?
Absolute Event Rate: 115.1% vs 111.3%
p-value: p=0.015
Young people at familial risk of depression exhibit an altered cardiovascular risk profile, including increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness, even before the onset of depressive symptoms.
May support early cardiometabolic monitoring in at-risk youth; hypothesis-generating and requires longitudinal confirmation before practice change.
BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with increased risk of several general medical conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The nature of the association is complex and may involve bidirectional causation or a common pathophysiology. AIMS: To determine whether young people without depression but at increased familial risk have altered metabolic and blood pressure markers relative to matched controls. METHOD: We studied young people (n = 85), who had a parent with depression but no personal history of depressive illness (FH+) and healthy controls (n = 69). Cardiovascular risk profile was assessed by a fasting blood sample to measure insulin, glucose, lipids and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood pressure was measured centrally and peripherally. Arterial stiffness and waking cortisol concentration were also measured. RESULTS: Compared with controls, the FH+ group demonstrated increased peripheral and central systolic blood pressure, increased arterial stiffness and diminished insulin sensitivity but they did not differ from controls in measures of lipids, CRP or waking cortisol. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that young people at increased familial risk of depression show evidence of altered cardiovascular risk profile in young adulthood even in the absence of depressive symptoms. It is possible therefore that vulnerability to conditions such as hypertension and diabetes may precede the onset of major depression and may share common risk factors.
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Mannie et al. (2013) conducted a cross-sectional in Familial risk of depression (n=154). Familial risk of depression vs. No familial risk of depression (healthy controls) was evaluated on Peripheral systolic blood pressure (mmHg) (p=0.015). Young people at increased familial risk of depression demonstrated significantly higher peripheral systolic blood pressure (115.1 vs 111.3 mmHg) and diminished insulin sensitivity compared to matched healthy controls.
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