The association between lung function and depression in middle-aged and elderly people: A real-world study

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Depression is a prevalent mental disorder with significant public health implications.
• The association between depressive symptoms and lung function remains incompletely understood.
• Understanding this link is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms and lung function, specifically the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%), in US adults aged 40 and older.
• To assess the association using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data (2007-2012) involving 6474 participants over 40.
• Depression status assessed via Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores.
• Lung function (FEV1%) measured by spirometry and analyzed using weighted multivariable linear regression.

Main Results:

• 1587 participants were identified as having depression.
• The depression group exhibited significantly lower FEV1% compared to the non-depression group.
• FEV1% was found to be negatively correlated with both depressive symptoms and PHQ-9 scores (β = -0.672, p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Depressive symptoms and higher PHQ-9 scores are inversely associated with FEV1% in the general American adult population over 40.
• This finding suggests a potential link between mental health and respiratory health.
• Further longitudinal research is warranted to establish causality and explore underlying mechanisms.