Thomas T van Sloten1, Pierre Boutouyrie2, Muriel Tafflet3, Lucile Offredo3, Frédérique Thomas4, Catherine Guibout3, Rachel E Climie5, Cédric Lemogne6, Bruno Pannier4, Stéphane Laurent2, Xavier Jouven3, Jean-Philippe Empana3. 1. Faculté de Médecine, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Department of Epidemiology, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, UMR-S970, Paris, France; Department of Arterial Mechanics, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, UMR-S970, Paris, France; Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht and Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: t.van.sloten@mumc.nl. 2. Faculté de Médecine, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Department of Arterial Mechanics, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, UMR-S970, Paris, France; Department of Pharmacology, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Paris, France. 3. Faculté de Médecine, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Department of Epidemiology, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, UMR-S970, Paris, France. 4. Preventive and Clinical Investigation Center, Paris, France. 5. Faculté de Médecine, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Department of Epidemiology, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, UMR-S970, Paris, France; Department of Arterial Mechanics, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, UMR-S970, Paris, France; Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobert, Australia. 6. Faculté de Médecine, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Psychiatry and Neuroscience Center, U894, French Institute of Health and Medical Research, Paris, France; Department of Psychiatry, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Paris, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness may contribute to late-life depression via cerebral microvascular damage, but evidence is scarce. No longitudinal study has evaluated the association between arterial stiffness and risk of depressive symptoms. Therefore, we investigated the association between carotid artery stiffness and incident depressive symptoms in a large community-based cohort study. METHODS: This longitudinal study included 7013 participants (mean age 59.7 ± 6.3 years; 35.8% women) free of depressive symptoms at baseline. Carotid artery stiffness (high-resolution echo tracking) was determined at baseline. Presence of depressive symptoms was determined at baseline and at 4 and 6 years of follow-up, and was defined as a score ≥7 on the validated Questionnaire of Depression, Second Version, Abridged and/or new use of antidepressant medication. Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were used. RESULTS: In total, 6.9% (n = 484) of the participants had incident depressive symptoms. Individuals in the lowest tertile of carotid distensibility coefficient (indicating greater carotid artery stiffness) compared with those in the highest tertile had a higher risk of incident depressive symptoms (odds ratio: 1.43; 95% confidence interval: 1.10-1.87), after adjustment for age, sex, living alone, education, lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors, and baseline Questionnaire of Depression, Second Version, Abridged scores. Results were qualitatively similar when we used carotid Young's elastic modulus as a measure of carotid stiffness instead of carotid distensibility coefficient, and when we used generalized estimating equations instead of logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: Greater carotid stiffness is associated with a higher incidence of depressive symptoms. This supports the hypothesis that carotid stiffness may contribute to the development of late-life depression.
BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness may contribute to late-life depression via cerebral microvascular damage, but evidence is scarce. No longitudinal study has evaluated the association between arterial stiffness and risk of depressive symptoms. Therefore, we investigated the association between carotid artery stiffness and incident depressive symptoms in a large community-based cohort study. METHODS: This longitudinal study included 7013 participants (mean age 59.7 ± 6.3 years; 35.8% women) free of depressive symptoms at baseline. Carotid artery stiffness (high-resolution echo tracking) was determined at baseline. Presence of depressive symptoms was determined at baseline and at 4 and 6 years of follow-up, and was defined as a score ≥7 on the validated Questionnaire of Depression, Second Version, Abridged and/or new use of antidepressant medication. Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were used. RESULTS: In total, 6.9% (n = 484) of the participants had incident depressive symptoms. Individuals in the lowest tertile of carotid distensibility coefficient (indicating greater carotid artery stiffness) compared with those in the highest tertile had a higher risk of incident depressive symptoms (odds ratio: 1.43; 95% confidence interval: 1.10-1.87), after adjustment for age, sex, living alone, education, lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors, and baseline Questionnaire of Depression, Second Version, Abridged scores. Results were qualitatively similar when we used carotid Young's elastic modulus as a measure of carotid stiffness instead of carotid distensibility coefficient, and when we used generalized estimating equations instead of logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: Greater carotid stiffness is associated with a higher incidence of depressive symptoms. This supports the hypothesis that carotid stiffness may contribute to the development of late-life depression.