Abstract
Objectives
Late‐life depression may be associated with vascular disease. The purpose of the study was to investigate this association by determining the levels of soluble adhesion molecules (sICAM‐1 and sVCAM‐1) which represent markers of ischemia‐induced inflammation in elderly individuals with depression.
Methods
Blood samples were obtained from 33 subjects with depression selected from a community‐dwelling population after screening with the Geriatric Depression Scale, and 33 matched controls. Serum concentrations of sICAM‐1 (ng/mL) and sVCAM‐1 (ng/mL) were measured in both groups.
Results
Depressed patients (Group A) possessed significantly higher sICAM‐1 levels compared to healthy controls (Group B) (674.94 ± 166.90 ng/ml vs 467.05 ± 231.26 ng/ml, respectively, p < 0.01). Similarly the same groups demonstrated elevated sVCAM‐1 levels compared to controls (572.14 ± 182.20 ng/ml vs 449.04 ± 285.27 ng/ml, p < 0.05); a difference that in both cases remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (gender, smoking, presence of metabolic syndrome).
Conclusion
These findings indicate an association between high serum levels of VCAM‐1, and ICAM‐1 and depression in the elderly and further support the vascular depression hypothesis, which has important implications for the understanding and management of late‐life depression. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.