Bidirectional relationship between C-reactive protein and depressive symptoms considering cumulative effect among

Ningxuan Zhao1, Lin Jiang1, Meijing Hu1

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

PubMed

Insights

Repeated episodes of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and depressive symptoms show a bidirectional link in older Chinese adults. Cumulative effects, not single instances, drive this association, suggesting dual anti-inflammatory and antidepressant strategies may be beneficial.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Science
  • Epidemiology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Research on the bidirectional relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and depressive symptoms is limited in non-Western populations.
  • The cumulative effect of repeated episodes of CRP or depressive symptoms requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the bidirectional association between CRP and depressive symptoms in Chinese adults.
  • To investigate the role of cumulative effects of repeated episodes on this relationship.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).
  • Employed multivariate logistic regression for bi-directional analysis, considering single and successive determinations of CRP and depressive symptoms.
  • Adjusted for socio-demographic, behavioral, metabolic, and health status factors.

Main Results:

  • Single determinations of CRP or depressive symptoms showed non-significant results.
  • Two successive determinations revealed significant bidirectional associations.
  • Cumulative CRP elevations predicted subsequent depressive symptoms (OR=1.58), and cumulative depressive episodes predicted later CRP elevation (OR=1.26).

Conclusions:

  • Bidirectional associations between depressive symptoms and CRP are driven by cumulative effects in middle-aged and older Chinese adults.
  • Findings suggest potential benefits of combined anti-inflammatory and antidepressant interventions.
  • Sex-stratified analyses confirmed the robustness of these relationships.
Abstract

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