No association between C-reactive protein and depressive symptoms among the middle-aged and elderly in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
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The depressive symptoms have been associated with increased disabilities, and the depressive symptoms-related elevation of high C-reactive protein (CRP) has been proposed as a possible mechanism. We examined the relations between CRP and depressive symptoms among the middle-aged and elderly in China.A longitudinal sample of the middle-aged and elderly (4404 men and 5055 women) who were interviewed in the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study was used. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effects of sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, activity status, physical exercise, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, body mass index (BMI), and CRP levels on depressive symptoms.The mean age in the study was 60.26 years [standard deviation (SD) ± 9.25; 46.56% men]. The mean CPR level was 2.79 mg/L (range, 0.01-178.10; SD ± 7.80). Depression scores ranged from 0 to 30 with a mean 8.65 (SD ± 6.33). The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 38.49% in the total population, 31.04% in men and 44.99% in men. Compared with baseline CRP levels (≤1.00 mg/L), the depressive symptoms are only weakly correlated with CRP levels among women [CRP 1.01-3.00 mg/L: odds ratio (OR) = 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.73-0.98; CRP 3.01-10.00 mg/L: OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03-1.51; CRP >10 mg/L: OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.06-1.88]. After adjusting for age, education, marital status, hukou, residence, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, eating meals, activity status, major accidental injury, diseases, health status, physical exercise, systolic blood pressure, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and BMI, depressive symptoms were not associated with subsequent high CPR levels among the middle-aged and elderly (CRP 1.01-3.00 mg/L: OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.83-1.03; CRP 3.01-10.00 mg/L: OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.82-1.10; CRP >10 mg/l: OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.88-1.39).Our data do not support an association between CRP and depressive symptoms in both middle-aged and elderly men and women among china.
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In 9459 Chinese middle-aged and elderly participants, no correlation between CRP levels and depressive symptoms after adjusting for confounders was found.
“Another cross-sectional study, including 9459 Chinese middle-aged and elderly participants of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, did not find any correlation between CRP levels and depressive symptoms after adjusting for confounders [76].”
From C-Reactive protein as a biomarker for major depressive disorder? (2022) · cites this paper as [76]
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- Authors
- Zhang, L., Li, J.-L., Zhang, L.-L., Guo, L.-L., Li, H., & Li, D.
- Affiliations
- North China University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Jinzhou Medical University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Li, Dan
- Venue
- Medicine
- Published
- 2018-09
- Volume
- 97
- Issue
- 38
- Pages
- e12352
- ISSN
- 0025-7974 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6160211
- OpenAlex
- W2891100205
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 0.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
- Keywords
- C-reactive protein, depressive symptoms, middle-aged and older adults, inflammation, risk factors for depression, sex differences, physical activity, China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, China
- MeSH terms
- Aged, C-Reactive Protein, China, Depression, Female, Health Status, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Retirement, Risk Factors, Multivariate Analysis, Logistic Models, Odds Ratio
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