Elevated total cholesterol in severely depressed patients: role in cardiovascular risk?
BACKGROUND
Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membrane constituting the neuronal cells and mediates multiple functions affecting neuronal transmission in the central nervous system. Abnormalities in serum lipid fractions have been reported in depression, but the clinical and biological significance of such findings are yet to be elucidated.


OBJECTIVE
To study the abnormalities of lipid fractions in subjects with unipolar depression.


METHODS
Thirty patients with unipolar depression and normal controls were recruited in this study. Serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides were studied. Data analysis was performed by using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for age, sex, body mass index, lifestyle, and dietary habits.


RESULTS
The data showed significant elevation of serum total cholesterol in depressed patients compared with normal controls. Identical results were obtained after controlling for the effects of confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this study point to particular subgroup of subjects who have elevated cholesterol among the depressed cohort. This may have significant implications in risk assessment for cardiovascular disorders and planning preventive strategies.
Das
Partha Pratim
PP
Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India. drparthapratimdas@yahoo.com
Malhotra
Savita
S
Chakrabarti
Subho
S
Sharma
Sadhna
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol