title: Depression and serum low-density lipoprotein: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: A cross-sectional association between depression and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been noted in the literature. This study aims to employ meta-analytic techniques to clarify the relationship between depression and serum LDL.
  
  
  
  Published articles through April 2015 were identified through systematic query of PubMed with follow-up manual searches. Data from 36 studies reporting mean difference and 7 studies reporting odds ratios were analyzed separately.
  
  
  
  Meta-analysis of studies modeling serum LDL as a continuous measure demonstrates overall significantly lower serum LDL in depression (Mean difference=-4.29, 95% CI=-8.19, -0.40, p=0.03). Meta-analysis of studies modeling serum LDL as a categorical measure demonstrates a marginally significant lower odds of depression in the presence of low serum LDL relative to high serum LDL (OR=0.90, 95% CI=0.80, 1.01, p=0.08).
  
  
  
  High heterogeneity was noted across sampled studies, which may be a function of variations in study design, participants sampled, or other factors. The potential for publication bias was also assessed.
  
  
  
  This meta-analysis demonstrates a cross-sectional link between depression and low serum LDL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States. Electronic address: jane-persons@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Persons
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; François M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
authors.forename: Jess G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fiedorowicz
mesh_terms: D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D016017:Odds Ratio
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL
keywords: Cholesterol; Depression; Lipids; Low-density lipoprotein; Meta-analysis