Leptin in depressed women: Cross-sectional and longitudinal data from an epidemiologic study

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2008-04, Vol.107 (1), p.221-225
• Main Authors: Pasco, Julie A, Jacka, Felice N, Williams, Lana J, Henry, Margaret J, Nicholson, Geoffrey C, Kotowicz, Mark A, Berk, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Australia - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major - blood; Depressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Depressive personality disorders; Dysthymia; Dysthymic Disorder - blood; Dysthymic Disorder - diagnosis; Dysthymic Disorder - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Leptin; Leptin - blood; Life Style; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Radioimmunoassay; Recurrence; Risk factor; Risk Factors; Smoking - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2007.07.024

Abstract Background There is conflicting evidence regarding levels of leptin in depression. In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between serum leptin level and depression in a community sample of women using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Methods From among 510 women aged 20–78 yr, 83 were identified with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder or dysthymia, ascertained using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Research Version, Non-patient edition (SCID-I/NP). Serum leptin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Medication use and lifestyle were self-reported and body mass index (BMI) determined from measures of height and weight. Results Using multiple linear regression, serum leptin levels were greater among women with a lifetime history of depression compared to women without any history of depression, independent of BMI. Adjusted geometric mean values of serum leptin were 16.37 (95%CI 14.70–18.23) ng/mL for depressed and 14.46 (95%CI 13.79–15.16) ng/mL for non-depressed women ( P = 0.039). The hazard ratio (HR) for a de novo depressive disorder over five years increased 2.56-fold for each standard deviation increase in log-transformed serum leptin among non-smokers and this was not explained by differences in BMI, medications or other lifestyle factors (HR = 2.56, 95%CI 1.52-4.30). No association was observed for smokers. Limitations There is potential for unrecognised confounding, recall bias and transient changes in body composition. Conclusion Women with a lifetime history of depression have elevated levels of serum leptin, and elevated serum leptin predicts subsequent development of a depressive disorder.