Clinically relevant depressive symptoms and peripheral arterial disease in elderly men and women. Results from a large cohort study in Southern China.
OBJECTIVE
Results from previous epidemiological studies on the relationship between depression and peripheral arterial diseases (PADs) were mixed. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate this relationship in a large Chinese elderly sample.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data from the baseline examination of a large cohort study on Chinese elderly were used in this current study. A stratified convenience sample of 3985 Hong Kong men and women aged 65 to 92 were recruited from the community. Clinically relevant depressive symptoms were assessed by the use of a validated screening instrument for depression: the Chinese version of the Short Form of Geriatric Depression Scale. PAD was assessed by the ankle-brachial index, with an index of <0.9 indicating the presence of PAD. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare the presence of PAD in depressed and nondepressed subjects, controlling for confounding variables for the relationship.


RESULTS
In the total subject population, more severe peripheral atherosclerosis was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive disorders. The presence of peripheral atherosclerosis was associated with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.46 (95% confidence interval=1.01-2.10) of having clinically relevant depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
We showed that depressive symptoms were associated with peripheral atherosclerosis in the Asian elderly after adjusting for stroke and cardiovascular diseases. Prospective studies are needed to provide conclusive evidence on the causality of the relationship between peripheral atherosclerosis and depressive symptoms.
Wong
Samuel Y S
SY
Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Public Health, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. yeungshanwong@cuhk.edu.hk
Woo
Jean
J
Hong
Athena W L
AW
Leung
Jason C S
JC
Leung
Ping C
PC
D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires