Relationship between Inflammatory Cytokine and Depressive Symptoms in Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review

The appearance of depressive symptoms is a prevalent mental health issue among women, with inflammatory cytokines being explored as potential biomarkers. This systematic review evaluates the relationship between inflammatory cytokines and depressive symptoms in postpartum women.

Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a search was conducted across five electronic databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Tripdatabase) up to September 2024. Studies examining the relationship between inflammatory cytokines and postpartum depressive symptoms that were published in English were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Revised Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions 2.

Nine studies were included in this review. A total of 888 postpartum women were analysed across nine studies. IL-1β was significantly elevated in postpartum women with depressive symptoms in two studies. IL-6 showed mixed findings, with three studies supporting an association, while three others did not. IL-10 and TNF-α generally showed no significant relationship with depressive symptoms. The overall quality of the studies included varied, with three studies at high risk of bias and five at low risk.

Evidence on the relationship between inflammatory cytokines and postpartum depressive symptoms is inconsistent. IL-1β may be linked to depressive symptoms. TNF-α and CRP may have no relationship with depressive symptoms in postpartum women, but the roles of IL-6 and IL-10 remain unclear. More high-quality research is necessary to determine the clinical significance of cytokine levels in predicting or managing postpartum depression.