title: Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and incident depression in the elderly: the Pro.V.A. study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) appears to have a protective effect against depression, but contrasting findings are available. Therefore, we investigated whether high serum DHEAS levels were associated with any protective effect on incident depression and incident severe depression in a representative group of elderly men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a population-based cohort longitudinal study in the general community, 789 older participants without depression and cognitive impairment at the baseline were included, among 3,099 screened subjects. Serum DHEAS levels were determined based on blood samples; incident depression and severe depression were diagnosed by means of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and confirmed by geriatricians skilled in psychogeriatric medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No baseline differences were found in GDS across age- and gender-specific tertiles of serum DHEAS. Over 4.4 years of follow-up, 137 new cases of depression were recorded. Of them, 35 among men and 64 in women were cases of incident severe depression. Cox's regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounders, revealed that higher DHEAS levels were associated with reduced risk of incident depression irrespective of gender (HR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.09-0.96; Wald χ(2) = 4.09; df = 1; p = 0.04; women: HR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.14-0.69; Wald χ(2) = 8.37; df = 1; p = 0.004) and of severe incident depression only in men (HR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.06-0.99; Wald χ(2) = 4.05; df = 1; p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher serum DHEAS levels were found to be significantly protective for the onset of depression irrespective of gender, whereas only in men was this association found also for incident severe depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. Electronic address: ilmannato@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Veronese
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Rui
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolzetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zambon
authors.affiliation: Azienda Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria (ULSS) 16, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Division, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovannella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baggio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena Debora
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Toffanello
authors.affiliation: National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crepaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Egle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perissinotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manzato
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sergi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
keywords: Serum DHEAS; depression; elderly