Vascular risk factors and incident late-life depression in a Korean population.
BACKGROUND
Causal relationships between vascular factors and late-life depression are controversial.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate prospective associations between risk factors for vascular disease and incidence of late-life depression.


METHODS
Of 661 community participants aged 65 years or over, without depression at baseline, 521 (79%) were re-evaluated 2 years later. At baseline and follow-up, a diagnostic interview for depression was carried out and information on vascular status, disability and cognitive function was gathered.


RESULTS
Pre-existing heart disease, incident stroke and lower baseline high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level were significantly associated with incidence of late-life depression, independently of disability and cognitive function.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide some support for a vascular aetiology of late-life depression. However, important risk factors for cerebrovascular disease such as hypertension and diabetes were not implicated, and the associations with lipid levels might still be explained by affective states earlier in life.
Kim
Jae-Min
JM
Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, 5 Hak-Dong, Dong-gu, Kwangju 501-757, Republic of Korea.
Stewart
Robert
R
Kim
Sung-Wan
SW
Yang
Su-Jin
SJ
Shin
Il-Seon
IS
Yoon
Jin-Sang
JS
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids