Association between inflammatory biomarkers before pregnancy and risk of perinatal depression: A prospective cohort study of 4483 women in Sweden

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2025-01, Vol.368, p.477-486
• Main Authors: Zhou, Jing, Bränn, Emma, Hysaj, Elgeta, Seitz, Christina, Hou, Ying, Song, Huan, Bergstedt, Jacob, Chang, Zheng, Fang, Fang, Pedersen, Nancy L., Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur A., Lu, Donghao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biomarkers - blood; Complete blood cell; Depression, Postpartum - blood; Depression, Postpartum - diagnosis; Depression, Postpartum - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Inflammation - blood; Lymphocytes; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Perinatal depression; Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - blood; Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sweden - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.09.126

Perinatal depression (PND) is a global health concern, affecting millions of childbearing women. Emerging data suggest that inflammation may play a role in the development of PND. Peripheral blood inflammatory biomarkers before pregnancy are widely tested in clinical practice at minimum cost, yet their potential role in PND risk remains unknown. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 4483 birthing women during 2009–2021 within the LifeGene study with linkage to Swedish registers. Peripheral blood inflammatory biomarkers were profiled at baseline. Cases of PND were identified using validated tools or clinical diagnosis from subsequent pregnancies and postpartum periods. Logistic regression models were employed to assess the associations of each inflammatory biomarker (z scored) with PND. We identified 495 (11.0 %) PND cases with an average age of 29.2 years. Pre-pregnancy platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was positively associated [OR, 95 % CI:1.14(1.01,1.27)], while lymphocyte count was inversely associated [OR, 95 % CI: 0.89(0.80,0.98)] with PND. A dose-response relationship was indicated for both PLR and lymphocytes when analyzed in categories based on tertile distribution. These associations appeared more pronounced for postpartum depression than antepartum depression and were independent of psychiatric comorbidities. With implications for future mechanistic research, these findings suggest that blood levels of lymphocytes and PLR before pregnancy are associated with subsequent risk of PND in a dose-response manner. •First study to assess the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers before pregnancy and risk of perinatal depression.•Lower level of lymphocytes associated with elevated risk of perinatal depression•Higher level of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio associated with elevated risk of perinatal depression•Such associations appeared more pronounced for postpartum depression than antepartum depression.•Inflammation and immune dysregulation may play a role in the mechanism of perinatal depression.