Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background The comorbidity of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression has been well established, as depression usually presents simultaneously with CVD risk factors. However, the potential association between cumulative exposure to CVD risk and depression remains unclear, so we conducted the cur...

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Main Authors: Zhang Zhang, Yuxin Li, Zongshi Qin, Sen Li, Shuzhen Guo, Yining Ding, Zhaoqi Jia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2023-08-01
Series:General Psychiatry
Online Access:https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/36/4/e101063.full
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author Zhang Zhang
Yuxin Li
Zongshi Qin
Sen Li
Shuzhen Guo
Yining Ding
Zhaoqi Jia
author_facet Zhang Zhang
Yuxin Li
Zongshi Qin
Sen Li
Shuzhen Guo
Yining Ding
Zhaoqi Jia
author_sort Zhang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Background The comorbidity of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression has been well established, as depression usually presents simultaneously with CVD risk factors. However, the potential association between cumulative exposure to CVD risk and depression remains unclear, so we conducted the current investigation. To our knowledge, this is the first study that employs the cumulative risk model to examine the effect of CVD risk factors on depression using nationally representative population and gender, age and CVD status-stratified subpopulations.Aims To systematically study the possible individual and cumulative effect of 18 CVD risk factors on depression.Methods A cross-sectional, secondary analysis investigated associations between 18 CVD risk factors and depression. The interaction effect between CVD risk factors and age, gender and CVD status was also examined. Enrolment included 20 816 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2016. Participants with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores over 15 or who were using an antidepressant were considered depressive; 18 known cardiovascular risk factors were incorporated in the present study.Results At the individual risk factor level, smoking, drinking, living alone, sleep quality, body mass index, waist circumference and diabetes status had differential associations with depression risk according to the gender, age or CVD status of the participants. Most importantly, gender-stratified cumulative risk analysis indicated that similar depression risk was found in both genders with a small number of CVD risk factors (odds ratio (OR)adjusted=1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87 to 1.99), but females had a significantly higher depression risk compared with males under high cumulative risk exposure (ORadjusted=2.86; 95% CI: 1.79 to 4.59).Conclusions Clarifying the association of numerous CVD risk factors with depression according to gender, age and overall CVD status may be beneficial for risk stratification and the prevention of depression in clinical practice. Moreover, the observed novel evidence of high cumulative risk exposure-mediated gender disparities in depression risk may shed light on the underlying mechanism of females’ greater vulnerability to depression.
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spelling doaj.art-cfd71829b0f14451a3a98cac9d79c6302023-09-15T16:20:07ZengBMJ Publishing GroupGeneral Psychiatry2517-729X2023-08-0136410.1136/gpsych-2023-101063Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyZhang Zhang0Yuxin Li1Zongshi Qin2Sen Li3Shuzhen Guo4Yining Ding5Zhaoqi Jia61 School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China1 School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China2 Peking University Clinical Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China1 School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China3 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China1 School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China1 School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaBackground The comorbidity of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression has been well established, as depression usually presents simultaneously with CVD risk factors. However, the potential association between cumulative exposure to CVD risk and depression remains unclear, so we conducted the current investigation. To our knowledge, this is the first study that employs the cumulative risk model to examine the effect of CVD risk factors on depression using nationally representative population and gender, age and CVD status-stratified subpopulations.Aims To systematically study the possible individual and cumulative effect of 18 CVD risk factors on depression.Methods A cross-sectional, secondary analysis investigated associations between 18 CVD risk factors and depression. The interaction effect between CVD risk factors and age, gender and CVD status was also examined. Enrolment included 20 816 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2016. Participants with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores over 15 or who were using an antidepressant were considered depressive; 18 known cardiovascular risk factors were incorporated in the present study.Results At the individual risk factor level, smoking, drinking, living alone, sleep quality, body mass index, waist circumference and diabetes status had differential associations with depression risk according to the gender, age or CVD status of the participants. Most importantly, gender-stratified cumulative risk analysis indicated that similar depression risk was found in both genders with a small number of CVD risk factors (odds ratio (OR)adjusted=1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87 to 1.99), but females had a significantly higher depression risk compared with males under high cumulative risk exposure (ORadjusted=2.86; 95% CI: 1.79 to 4.59).Conclusions Clarifying the association of numerous CVD risk factors with depression according to gender, age and overall CVD status may be beneficial for risk stratification and the prevention of depression in clinical practice. Moreover, the observed novel evidence of high cumulative risk exposure-mediated gender disparities in depression risk may shed light on the underlying mechanism of females’ greater vulnerability to depression.https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/36/4/e101063.full
spellingShingle Zhang Zhang
Yuxin Li
Zongshi Qin
Sen Li
Shuzhen Guo
Yining Ding
Zhaoqi Jia
Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
General Psychiatry
title Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
title_full Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
title_fullStr Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
title_full_unstemmed Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
title_short Effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression: results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
title_sort effect of gender on the association between cumulative cardiovascular risk factors and depression results from the us national health and nutrition examination survey
url https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/36/4/e101063.full
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