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Depression, medical illness, and interleukin-1beta in older cardiac patients

J M Lyness1, J A Moynihan, D J Williford

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York 14642, USA. Jeffrey_Lyness@urmc.rochester.edu

International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine
|February 14, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) levels were not linked to depression in cardiac patients. This cytokine was, however, associated with overall medical illness burden, suggesting a general sickness response rather than a specific link to depression.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Psychiatry
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Atherosclerosis is hypothesized to contribute to late-life depression via cytokine effects on monoamine systems.
  • Pilot data is needed to investigate the association between interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) and depression in cardiac patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that serum IL-1beta levels are associated with depression in a cardiac patient group.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty-seven cardiac patients underwent evaluations for depression diagnosis (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R) and symptom severity (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression).
  • Medical illness burden was assessed using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale.
  • Serum IL-1beta levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Main Results:

  • Serum IL-1beta levels showed no significant association with depressive symptom severity or depression diagnosis, even after controlling for medical illness burden, age, and gender.
  • A significant positive correlation was observed between IL-1beta levels and medical illness burden.

Conclusions:

  • The study did not confirm the hypothesis linking IL-1beta to depression in cardiac patients.
  • The correlation between IL-1beta and medical illness burden likely represents a general "sickness response" to various disease states.
  • Further research with larger sample sizes and non-cardiac comparison groups is recommended.
Abstract

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