Korean J Psychosom Med.  2017 Jun;25(1):27-32. 10.22722/kjpm.2017.25.1.027.

Gender Difference in Associations between Serum Cholesterol Levels and Depression Symptoms in Healthy General Population

• Lee SH
• Park M
• Yoon DH
• Lee Y
• Kim SS

• KMID: 2411716
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22722/kjpm.2017.25.1.027

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to determine the association between serum lipid profiles and depression according to gender difference.
METHODS
This retrospective cohort study included 27,452 subjects(15044 men and 12408 women) who underwent health examination. The duration was from January 2013 to December 2013. We estimate the correlation between serum lipid profile and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) scores. We compare the effect size using beta coefficient.
RESULTS
In men, serum Triglyceride level was correlated positively with BDI scores(r=0.020, p<0.01). Serum LDL-C and HDL-C were negatively correlated with BDI scores(r=-0.015, p<0.01 ; r=-0.016, p<0.05). In women, Triglyceride level was also correlated positively with BDI scores(r=0.020, p<0.01), Serum HDL-C were negatively correlated with BDI scores(r=-0.019, p<0.01). There was no statistical significance between Serum LDL-C and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) score.
CONCLUSIONS
Both men and women had more depressive symptoms when they had low serum HDL-C level or high serum Triglyceride level. The depression symptoms were more severe when serum LDL-C level was low only in men.

Keyword

Cholesterol; Beck depression inventory; Gender

MeSH Terms

Cholesterol*
Cohort Studies
Depression*
Female
Humans
Male
Retrospective Studies
Triglycerides
Cholesterol