Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2006 Feb;13(1):19-25.

Plasma Levels of Nitric Oxide Metabolites in Patients with Postpartum Depression

• Lee BH
• Kim KH
• Shin YC
• Kim JB
• Kim YK

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Some reports have suggested that decreased nitric oxide metabolites(NOx) and activity of nitric oxide synthase could be related to the pathophysiology of depression. We evaluated plasma levels of NOx in pregnant women with and without postpartum depression at prenatal and postnatal period.
METHODS
The plasma concentrations of NOx were measured in 104 pregnant women in the third trimester and at 6 weeks postpartum and in 64 normal controls. The severity of depression and anxiety was measured with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale(EPDS), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), and Beck Anxiety Scale(BAI).
RESULTS
Plasma NOx levels at 6 weeks postpartum were significantly lower in cases of postpartum major depression(EDPS scores > or = 13 points) than in cases without depression(EDPS scores < or = 9 points). Plasma NOx levels had significantly negative correlation with EPDS scores at 6 weeks postpartum.
CONCLUSION
We demonstrate that decreased plasma NOx is associated with postpartum depression. Further studies are required to determine whether individual serum concentration of plasma NOx alone could predict maternal depression.

Keyword

Postpartum depression; EPDS; Nitric oxide; NOx

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Depression
Depression, Postpartum*
Female
Humans
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Nitric Oxide*
Plasma*
Postpartum Period*
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, Third
Pregnant Women
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase