Aspirin and statin use and the subsequent development of depression in men and women: Results from a longitudinal population-based study
Jennifer Glaus1, Caroline L Vandeleur2, Aurélie M Lasserre2
1Psychiatric Epidemiology and Psychopathology Research Center, Lausanne University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Site de Cery, CH-1008 Prilly, Switzerland; Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospital, Site de Belle-Idée, Chêne-Bourg, CH-1225 Geneva, Switzerland.
Insights
Regular use of aspirin or statins did not prevent the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults aged 35-66. These findings suggest these medications are not effective for large-scale depression prevention in this population.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Low-grade chronic inflammation is linked to major depressive disorder (MDD) and increased cardiovascular risk.
- Aspirin and statins possess anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting potential benefits for both cardiovascular health and depression.
- Previous research on aspirin and statin use for depression prevention yielded inconsistent results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prospective association between regular aspirin or statin use and the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD).
- To assess if anti-inflammatory medications could serve as a preventive strategy for depression.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 1631 participants (mean age 51.7 years) from a general urban population.
- Participants underwent physical evaluations and semi-structured interviews for DSM-IV mental disorders at baseline and during a mean 5.2-year follow-up.
- Statistical analyses were adjusted for a comprehensive range of potential confounding factors.
Main Results:
- Regular aspirin or statin use at baseline did not significantly reduce the incidence of MDD during the follow-up period.
- Hazard ratios for MDD incidence were 1.19 for aspirin (95% CI, 0.68-2.08) and 1.25 for statins (95% CI, 0.73-2.14), irrespective of sex or age.
- No statistically significant preventive effect of aspirin or statins on depression incidence was observed.
Conclusions:
- The study's findings do not support the widespread preventive use of aspirin or statins for depression in community-dwelling adults aged 35-66.
- Limitations include the observational nature, potential unadjusted confounders, and short recall period for medication use.
- Further research, potentially including randomized controlled trials, is needed to fully elucidate the role of these medications in mental health.
Objective:
Low-grade chronic inflammation is one potential mechanism underlying the well-established association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and increased cardiovascular morbidity. Both aspirin and statins have anti-inflammatory properties, which may contribute to their preventive effect on cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies on the potentially preventive effect of these drugs on depression have provided inconsistent results. The aim of the present paper was to assess the prospective association between regular aspirin or statin use and the incidence of MDD.
Method:
This prospective cohort study included 1631 subjects (43.6% women, mean age 51.7 years), randomly selected from the general population of an urban area. Subjects underwent a thorough physical evaluation as well as semi-structured interviews investigating DSM-IV mental disorders at baseline and follow-up (mean duration 5.2 years). Analyses were adjusted for a wide array of potential confounders.
Results:
Our main finding was that regular aspirin or statin use at baseline did not reduce the incidence of MDD during follow-up, regardless of sex or age (hazard ratios, aspirin: 1.19; 95%CI, 0.68-2.08; and statins: 1.25; 95%CI, 0.73-2.14; respectively).
Limitations:
Our study is not a randomized clinical trial and could not adjust for all potential confounding factors, information on aspirin or statin use was collected only for the 6 months prior to the evaluations, and the sample was restricted to subjects between 35 and 66 years of age.
Conclusion:
Our data do not support a large scale preventive treatment of depression using aspirin or statins in subjects aged from 35 to 66 years from the community.
