Inflammatory markers and depressed mood in older persons: results from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study.
Patients with major depression have elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines. We examined the link between inflammatory markers and depressed mood in a community-based sample of older people. Data are from 3024 well-functioning older persons, 70-79 years of age, participating in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. Depressed mood was defined as a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale score of 16 or higher. Plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Compared with the 2879 nondepressed subjects, the 145 persons with depressed mood had higher median plasma levels of IL-6 (2.04 vs. 1.83 pg/mL, p =.02), TNF-alpha (3.43 vs. 3.16 pg/mL, p =.05), and CRP (1.96 vs. 1.66 mg/L, p =.03). After adjustment for health and demographic variables, depressed mood was especially prevalent among persons who had a high (above median) plasma level for at least two of the inflammatory markers. Compared with those without high levels, for persons with a high level for two or all three markers the risk of depressed mood was 2.45 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34-4.47) and 2.40 (95% CI = 1.27-4.53), respectively. The association between depressed mood and serum level of IL-6 was significantly stronger in men than in women. In old age, depressed mood is associated with high levels of inflammatory markers, suggesting that depressed mood is causing and/or caused by systemic inflammation.
Penninx
Brenda W J H
BW
Sticht Center on Aging, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA.
Kritchevsky
Stephen B
SB
Yaffe
Kristine
K
Newman
Anne B
AB
Simonsick
Eleanor M
EM
Rubin
Susan
S
Ferrucci
Luigi
L
Harris
Tamara
T
Pahor
Marco
M
D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein