title: Leptin in depressed women: cross-sectional and longitudinal data from an epidemiologic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is conflicting evidence regarding levels of leptin in depression. In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between serum leptin level and depression in a community sample of women using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data.
  
  
  METHODS
  From among 510 women aged 20-78 yr, 83 were identified with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder or dysthymia, ascertained using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Research Version, Non-patient edition (SCID-I/NP). Serum leptin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Medication use and lifestyle were self-reported and body mass index (BMI) determined from measures of height and weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using multiple linear regression, serum leptin levels were greater among women with a lifetime history of depression compared to women without any history of depression, independent of BMI. Adjusted geometric mean values of serum leptin were 16.37 (95%CI 14.70-18.23) ng/mL for depressed and 14.46 (95%CI 13.79-15.16) ng/mL for non-depressed women (P=0.039). The hazard ratio (HR) for a de novo depressive disorder over five years increased 2.56-fold for each standard deviation increase in log-transformed serum leptin among non-smokers and this was not explained by differences in BMI, medications or other lifestyle factors (HR=2.56, 95%CI 1.52-4.30). No association was observed for smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is potential for unrecognised confounding, recall bias and transient changes in body composition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with a lifetime history of depression have elevated levels of serum leptin, and elevated serum leptin predicts subsequent development of a depressive disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, Geelong 3220, Australia. juliep@barwonhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pasco
authors.forename: Felice N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Jacka
authors.forename: Lana J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Geoffrey C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kotowicz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin