title: Positive association between the plasma levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and the severity of depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of plasma monoamines in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with depression is unclear. To investigate monoamines in 20 depressed patients with COPD, the plasma concentrations of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were measured and compared with those in 50 non-depressed COPD patients, and also with 23 age- and gender-matched non-smokers and 13 smokers as non-depressed healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis of depression was assessed using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Plasma concentrations of monoamines were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the depressed COPD patients had suicidal ideation. The plasma 5-HIAA level [median, (25% and 75% quartiles)] in depressed COPD patients [6.8 ng/mL, (4.9 and 13.1)] was significantly higher than in non-depressed COPD patients [5.4, (4.2 and 7.5)] (p=0.022) and non-smokers [5.1 (3.8 and 7.2)] (p=0.041), but not smokers [4.7, (4.0 and 6.7)] (p>0.05). The plasma 5-HIAA level (r=0.24, p=0.049) was significantly associated with the severity of depression in patients with COPD. The plasma MHPG level was significantly higher in depressed COPD patients (p=0.043) than in smokers, but was not higher than that in non-depressed COPD patients or non-smokers, although the level of MHPG was not associated with the severity of depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The plasma 5-HIAA level is increased in depressed COPD patients. Plasma monoamines may be a good biomarker for detection of depression in patients with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respirology, Neurology, and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine 1, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume 830-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekiduka-Kumano
authors.forename: Tomotaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawayama
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoji
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Nobutaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Edakuni
authors.forename: Haruki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imaoka
authors.forename: Naohisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uchimura
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoshino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D059020:Suicidal Ideation
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid