title: Early physiological markers of cardiovascular risk in community based adolescents with a depressive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression is recognised as an independent cardiovascular risk factor in adults. Identifying this relationship early on in life is potentially important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study investigated whether clinical depression is associated with multiple physiological markers of CVD risk in adolescents from the general community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants aged 12-18 years were recruited from the general community and screened for depressive symptoms. Individuals with high and low depressive symptoms were administered a diagnostic interview. Fifty participants, 25 with a current depressive episode and 25 matched healthy controls, subsequently completed cardiovascular assessments. Variables assessed were automatic brachial and continuous beat-to-beat finger arterial blood pressure, heart rate, vascular functioning by pulse amplitude tonometry following reactive hyperaemia and pulse transit time (PTT) at rest. Blood samples were collected to measure cholesterol, glucose and glycohaemoglobin levels and an index of cumulative risk of traditional cardiovascular risk factors was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depressed adolescents had a significantly lower reactive hyperaemia index and shorter PTT, suggesting deterioration in vascular integrity and structure. Higher fasting glucose and triglyceride levels were also observed in the depressed group, who also had higher cumulative risk scores indicative of increased engagement in unhealthy behaviours and higher probability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample size and number of males who completed all cardiovascular measures was small.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinically depressed adolescents had poorer vascular functioning and increased CVD risk compared to controls, highlighting the need for early identification and intervention for the prevention of CVD in depressed youth.
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: joannamw@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Joanna M
authors: JM
authors: Waloszek
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: mbyrne@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Michelle L
authors: ML
authors: Byrne
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: michael.woods@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Woods
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: cln@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Christian L
authors: CL
authors: Nicholas
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: beib@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Bei
authors: B
authors: Bei
authors: Psychological Sciences and Statistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia. Electronic address: gwm@swin.edu.au.
authors: Greg
authors: G
authors: Murray
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: monika.raniti@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Raniti
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405, USA. Electronic address: nallen3@uoregon.edu.
authors: Nicholas B
authors: NB
authors: Allen
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: johnat@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Trinder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011674:Pulse; D012307:Risk Factors; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: Adolescence; Cardiovascular health; Community; Depression; Endothelium; Risk factors