Association between serum uric acid levels and depressive symptoms according to menopausal status.

INTRODUCTION

The menopause-specific relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) and depressive symptoms were not known. We aimed to explore the association between SUA and depressive symptoms stratified by menopausal status.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, a total of 4845 females were enrolled from China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS) in China. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) were used to measure depressive symptoms. A cut-off score of CES-D ≥ 10 was defined as depression. Multiple regression models were used to assess the relationship between SUA and depression stratified by menopausal status.

RESULTS

Overall, SUA was significantly associated with depressive symptoms/depression in post-menopause women (β = -0.39, 95 % CI: -0.60, -0.17) after adjusted potential confounders. Compared with those whose SUA levels were in the first tertile, participants with their SUA in the second (β = -0.76, 95 % CI: -1.30, -0.22) and third tertile (β = -1.24, 95 % CI: -1.80, -0.68) had milder depressive symptoms. However, SUA was not associated with depressive symptoms in pre-menopause women (β = 0.1, 95 % CI: -0.25, 0.46). An interaction between menopausal status and SUA on depressive symptoms were found in this study (P = 0.02). Similar results were found for depression.

LIMITATIONS

Some potential covariates like diet that could affect SUA levels were not considered in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher SUA was associated with depressive symptoms/depression in post-menopause women. An interaction between menopausal status and SUA on depressive symptoms were found. SUA was not associated with depressive symptoms/depression in pre-menopause women.