Department of Epidemiology and International Health, Research Institute, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo, Japan.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Mar;64(3):289-96. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.143. Epub 2010 Jan 20.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Folate and homocysteine have been implicated to have a role in depression. However, results of epidemiologic studies on this issue have been inconsistent. The objective of this study was to clarify the association between serum folate and homocysteine concentrations and depressive symptoms in Japanese adults.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data for 530 municipal employees (313 men and 217 women), aged 21-67 years, who participated in a health survey at the time of periodic checkup. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios of depressive symptoms (CES-D scale scores of >or=16) with adjustment for potential confounding variables.
In total, 113 men (36.1%) and 79 women (36.4%) had depressive symptoms. A higher serum folate was associated with a decreased prevalence of depressive symptoms in men. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of depressive symptoms for the lowest to highest quartiles of serum folate were 1.00 (reference), 0.53 (0.27-1.03), 0.33 (0.16-0.68) and 0.51 (0.25-1.03), respectively (trend P=0.03). Furthermore, the data suggested a positive association between serum homocysteine and depressive symptoms in men (trend P=0.06). In women, neither folate nor homocysteine was associated with depressive symptoms.
Low serum folate may be related to an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms in Japanese men.
背景/目的：叶酸和同型半胱氨酸与抑郁症的发生有关。然而，关于这一问题的流行病学研究结果并不一致。本研究旨在阐明日本成年人血清叶酸和同型半胱氨酸浓度与抑郁症状之间的关系。
受试者/方法：我们分析了 530 名 21-67 岁的市政员工（313 名男性和 217 名女性）在定期体检时参加健康调查的横断面数据。使用流行病学研究中心抑郁量表（CES-D 量表）评估抑郁症状。使用逻辑回归分析，调整潜在混杂变量后，估计抑郁症状（CES-D 量表评分≥16）的优势比。
共有 113 名男性（36.1%）和 79 名女性（36.4%）出现抑郁症状。较高的血清叶酸与男性抑郁症状的患病率降低相关。血清叶酸最低到最高四分位的多变量调整优势比（95%置信区间）分别为 1.00（参考）、0.53（0.27-1.03）、0.33（0.16-0.68）和 0.51（0.25-1.03）（趋势 P=0.03）。此外，数据提示血清同型半胱氨酸与男性抑郁症状之间存在正相关趋势（趋势 P=0.06）。在女性中，叶酸和同型半胱氨酸均与抑郁症状无关。
低血清叶酸可能与日本男性抑郁症状的患病率增加有关。
