Key result
Adolescent-onset recurrent depression in women is linked to adverse carotid intima-media remodeling.
Why the study?
Depression is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease, but early carotid intima and media changes in young women with recurrent depressive disorders were not well investigated.
Do young women with adolescent onset recurrent depressive disorders have early signs of carotid intima and media changes compared to healthy women?
Case-Control (n=35)
Do young women with adolescent onset recurrent depressive disorders have early signs of carotid intima and media changes compared to healthy women?
Young women with recurrent depressive disorders exhibit early signs of carotid artery wall changes on ultrasound, suggesting increased cardiovascular risk.
Early carotid wall changes in young women with recurrent depression signal possible premature vascular risk; leaves open causal links pending larger prospective studies.
OBJECTIVES: Growing evidence indicates that depression is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease. Thus, the aim of the present study has been to investigate if young women with adolescent onset and recurrent depressive disorders have signs of carotid intima and media changes already at the age of 30. METHODS: Fifteen subjects with adolescent onset recurrent depressive disorders, mean age 31.5 years, were compared to 20 healthy women with a mean age of 39.6 years. The thickness of carotid artery intima and media was assessed, using non-invasive high-frequency ultrasound (25MHz). RESULTS: The subjects with recurrent depressive disorders had significantly thicker carotid intima, significantly thinner carotid media and significantly higher intima/media ratio despite the fact that they were about 10 years younger than the healthy women. Hypertension, obesity or smoking could not explain the results. CONCLUSION: Already at the age of 30, subjects with recurrent depressive disorders with adolescent onset do have early signs of carotid intima and media changes, indicating a less healthy artery wall, despite otherwise no clinical signs of cardiovascular disease.
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Bohman et al. (2009) conducted a case-control in Recurrent depressive disorders (n=35). Adolescent onset recurrent depressive disorders vs. Healthy women was evaluated on Thickness of carotid artery intima and media, and intima/media ratio. Adolescent-onset recurrent depressive disorders in women were associated with significantly thicker carotid intima, thinner media, and a higher intima/media ratio compared to healthy controls.
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