title: Accumulation of Depressive Symptoms and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis has been inconsistent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to replicate our previous study, which demonstrated a positive relation between depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis assessed with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in men, using a newer measurement of carotid IMT and a cumulative loading of depressive symptoms over three follow-ups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 996 adults (352 men) aged 30 to 45 years in 2007 from a prospective population-based Finnish sample. The participants completed a modified version of Beck Depression Inventory in 1992, 1997, and 2001. Carotid IMT was assessed with ultrasound in 2001 and 2007. Cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., body mass index, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking) were measured in childhood (1980) and in adulthood (2007).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no association between the accumulative depression index and carotid IMT before or after controlling for the traditional risk factors (all p values ≥0.67). Depressive symptoms did not predict IMT progression over two time points and the highest level of carotid wall thickening. Imputed and non-imputed data sets provided similar results. Results remained the same when men and women were analyzed separately. Additional analyses revealed no significant interactions between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., body mass index and systolic blood pressure) on carotid IMT (all p values >0.15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this population-based study did not indicate any direct association between depressive symptoms and carotid IMT in asymptomatic, young adults.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keltikangas-Järvinen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kateryna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Savelieva
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Josefsson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elovainio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pulkki-Råback
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juonala
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. mirka.hintsanen@oulu.fi.|Unit of Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 2000, 90014, Oulu, Finland. mirka.hintsanen@oulu.fi.
authors.forename: Mirka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hintsanen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Carotid intima-media thickness; Depression; Psychosomatic