Department of Psychiatry, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-8849, USA.
J Clin Psychiatry. 2012 May;73(5):691-5. doi: 10.4088/JCP.11m07223. Epub 2012 Mar 20.
Elevated serum levels of the amino acid homocysteine (HCY) are associated with a variety of diseases. To resolve conflicting findings in studies that suggest a relationship between elevated serum HCY levels and depression, we examined the relationship between HCY levels and depressive symptoms in the largest sample studied to date.
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 11,757 participants (68.9% men) aged 20 to 90 years who completed preventive health examinations at the Cooper Clinic, Dallas, Texas, from 2007 to 2010. Currently experiencing depression was defined as a 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score of ≥ 10. Serum HCY levels were obtained. Data were analyzed in a multiple logistic regression model of CES-D score of ≥ 10.
When controlling for age, sex, body mass index, exercise, education, smoking, antidepressant use, creatinine level, alcohol use, and chronic medical conditions, elevated HCY was associated with 26% greater odds of currently experiencing depressive symptoms (P = .007) as defined by CES-D score.
In the largest sample examined to date, we found a significant positive relationship between elevated serum HCY levels and currently experiencing depressive symptoms. Given the cross-sectional nature of the study, it is not possible to determine the direction of the relationship or whether lowering HCY levels will ameliorate depressive symptoms. Thus, longitudinal studies are needed.
血液中氨基酸同型半胱氨酸（HCY）水平升高与多种疾病有关。为了解决研究中关于 HCY 水平升高与抑郁症之间关系的矛盾结果，我们在迄今研究的最大样本中，研究了 HCY 水平与抑郁症状之间的关系。
我们对 2007 年至 2010 年在德克萨斯州达拉斯的库珀诊所接受预防健康检查的 11757 名年龄在 20 至 90 岁的参与者（68.9%为男性）进行了横断面研究。目前患有抑郁症的定义为使用 10 项中心流行病学研究抑郁量表（CES-D）评分≥10 分。获取血清 HCY 水平。使用 CES-D 评分≥10 分的多项逻辑回归模型分析数据。
在控制年龄、性别、体重指数、运动、教育、吸烟、使用抗抑郁药、肌酐水平、饮酒和慢性疾病后，HCY 升高与目前出现抑郁症状的几率增加 26%相关（P=0.007），如 CES-D 评分所定义。
在迄今检查的最大样本中，我们发现血清 HCY 水平升高与目前出现抑郁症状之间存在显著的正相关关系。鉴于该研究的横断面性质，无法确定关系的方向，也无法确定降低 HCY 水平是否会改善抑郁症状。因此，需要进行纵向研究。
