Sex Difference in the Association between High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein and Depression: The 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Open accessAbstract
Elevated levels of circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) have been observed in depression, with the body mass index (BMI) being a major mediator of this association. However, the sex difference in the association between hs-CRP and depression remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the sex difference in the association between hs-CRP and depression. Data from the 2016 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey were used for our study. High hs-CRP was defined as >3.0 mg/L, while depression was determined using a cut-off score of 10 in the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The study population comprised 5,483 Korean adults. Men with high hs-CRP levels showed statistically higher prevalence of depression than those with low hs-CRP levels (8.90% vs. 3.65%, P < 0.0001). The high hs-CRP group was 1.86 times more likely to have depression after adjusting for BMI and other covariates in men (adjusted odds ratio: 1.86; 95% confidence interval: 1.07-3.25; P = 0.029). Meanwhile, no statistically significant association between hs-CRP and depression was found among women. Depression was considerably associated with hs-CRP only in men, indicating a biological difference between men and women that can independently modify the relationship between hs-CRP and depression.
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No statistically significant association was observed between hs-CRP levels and depression among women.
“No statistically significant association was observed between hs-CRP levels and depression among women [64].”
From C-Reactive protein as a biomarker for major depressive disorder? (2022) · cites this paper as [64]
In 5483 Korean adults, men with high hs-CRP levels (>3.0 mg/L) reported a higher prevalence of depression than those with lower levels (p < 0.0001).
“Another cross-sectional study, based on the KNHANES, aimed at investigating the sex difference in the association between hs-CRP levels and depression, recruited 5483 Korean adults (2373 men and 3110 women) assessed with PHQ-9 (cut-off for depression > 10) [64]. Men with high hs-CRP levels (>3.0 mg/L) reported a higher prevalence of depression than those with lower levels (p < 0.0001).”
From C-Reactive protein as a biomarker for major depressive disorder? (2022) · cites this paper as [64]
A higher prevalence of depression was reported in men with high CRP levels, and the association was not observed in women.
“Lee et al. (2019) [64] reported a higher prevalence of depression in men with high CRP levels. The association was not observed in women.”
From C-Reactive protein as a biomarker for major depressive disorder? (2022) · cites this paper as Lee et al. (2019) [64]
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C-Reactive protein as a biomarker for major depressive disorder?
Orsolini, L., Pompili, S., Tempia Valenta, S., Salvi, V., & Volpe, U. (2022) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms23031616 · Cited by 171 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Lee, S., Oh, S. S., Jang, S.-I., & Park, E.-C.
- Affiliations
- Yonsei University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Park, Eun-Cheol
- Venue
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2019-02-13
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1918-1918
- ISSN
- 2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6374396
- OpenAlex
- W2912400175
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 1.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- YUHSpace (Yonsei University Medical Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, depression, sex differences, body mass index, inflammation, depression biomarkers, Korean adults
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, C-Reactive Protein, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nutrition Surveys, Sex Characteristics, Republic of Korea
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