The Relationship Between Serum Lipids and Depression

OBJECTIVE: Low cholesterol is associated with depression among western countries. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between cholesterol and depression in Korean population with low levels of serum cholesterol. METHODS: The data of about 740,000 individuals, aged 30-64 years at entry in the Korean Cancer Prevention Study, were used. Total cholesterol levels were measured in 1992. Depression was measured using the modified DSM-IV (Diagnostic Criteria of Major Depressive Episode in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) scale. Total cholesterol was classified into four groups (quartile). Odds Ratios of low level of cholesterol were evaluated using multi-variable logistic models. RESULTS: The prevalence of major depression was 7.7% in men and 10.4% in women. After adjustment for various confounding variables, an inverse association was detected between cholesterol levels and depression intensity among men and women. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of the lowest quartile of cholesterol was 1.16 (1.13-1.20) on major depression compared with the highest quartile of cholesterol in men. The corresponding odds ratio among women was 1.09 (1.04-1.15). The strongest association among 9 items of depression was found at "decreased appetite and lost weight" in both men (OR=1.68) and women (OR=1.43). CONCLUSION: Low cholesterol is associated with major depression in men and women. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the cross-validation, to explore the biological mechanism, and to identify the clinical implication.

Serum Adiponectin and Type 2 Diabetes: A 6-Year Follow-Up Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Studies on factors which may predict the risk of diabetes are scarce. This prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the association between adiponectin and type 2 diabetes among Korean men and women. METHODS: A total of 42,845 participants who visited one of seven health examination centers located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, Republic of Korea between 2004 and 2008 were included in this study. The incidence rates of diabetes were determined through December 2011. To evaluate the effects of adiponectin on type 2 diabetes, the Cox proportional hazard model was used. RESULTS: Of the 40,005 participants, 959 developed type 2 diabetes during a 6-year follow-up. After the adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference, the risks for type 2 diabetes in participants with normoglycemia had a 1.70-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 2.38) increase in men and a 1.83-fold (95% CI, 1.17 to 2.86) increase in women with the lowest tertile of adiponectin when compared to the highest tertile of adiponectin. For participants with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), the risk for type 2 diabetes had a 1.46-fold (95% CI, 1.17 to 1.83) increase in men and a 2.52-fold (95% CI, 1.57 to 4.06) increase in women with the lowest tertile of adiponectin. Except for female participants with normoglycemia, all the risks remained significant after the adjustment for fasting glucose and other confounding variables. Surprisingly, BMI and waist circumference were not predictors of type 2 diabetes in men or women with IFG after adjustment for fasting glucose and other confounders. CONCLUSION: A strong association between adiponectin and diabetes was observed. The use of adiponectin as a predictor of type 2 diabetes is considered to be useful.