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Statin use and risk of depression: a Swedish national cohort study

Redlich, Cassie ; Berk, Michael ; Williams, Lana J. ; Sundquist, Jan LU ; Sundquist, Kristina LU and Li, Xinjun LU (2014) In BMC Psychiatry 14.
Abstract
Background: Statin medications, used to prevent heart disease by reducing cholesterol, also reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative damage. As inflammation and oxidative stress occur in depression, there is interest in their potential to reduce depression risk. We investigated whether use of statin medications was associated with a change in the risk of developing depression in a very large Swedish national cohort (n = 4,607,990). Methods: National register data for adults >= 40yr was analyzed to obtain information about depression diagnoses and prescriptions of statin medications between 2006 and 2008. Associations were tested using logistic regression. Results: Use of any statin was shown to reduce the odds of depression by... (More)
Background: Statin medications, used to prevent heart disease by reducing cholesterol, also reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative damage. As inflammation and oxidative stress occur in depression, there is interest in their potential to reduce depression risk. We investigated whether use of statin medications was associated with a change in the risk of developing depression in a very large Swedish national cohort (n = 4,607,990). Methods: National register data for adults >= 40yr was analyzed to obtain information about depression diagnoses and prescriptions of statin medications between 2006 and 2008. Associations were tested using logistic regression. Results: Use of any statin was shown to reduce the odds of depression by 8% compared to individuals not using statin medications (OR = 0.92, 95% CI, 0.89-0.96; p < 0.001). Simvastatin had a protective effect (OR = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.89-0.97; p = 0.001), whereas atorvastatin was associated with increased risk of depression (OR = 1.11, 95% CI, 1.01-1.22; p = 0.032). There was a stepwise decrease in odds ratio with increasing age (OR >= 40 years = 0.95, OR >= 50 years = 0.91, OR >= 60 years = 0.85, OR >= 70 years = 0.81). Conclusions: The use of any statin was associated with a reduction in risk of depression in individuals over the age of 40. Clarification of the strength of these protective effects, the clinical relevance of these effects and determination of which statins are most effective is needed. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Statins, Atorvastatin, Simvastatin, Depression, Aetiology, Inflammation, Oxidative stress
in
BMC Psychiatry
volume
14
article number
348
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • wos:000347853700001
  • scopus:84924062677
  • pmid:25471121
ISSN
1471-244X
DOI
10.1186/s12888-014-0348-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
436f2a98-a207-463f-a63d-5e1bfb7f3f73 (old id 5070086)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:51:57
date last changed
2022-03-29 03:46:59
@article{436f2a98-a207-463f-a63d-5e1bfb7f3f73,
  abstract     = {{Background: Statin medications, used to prevent heart disease by reducing cholesterol, also reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative damage. As inflammation and oxidative stress occur in depression, there is interest in their potential to reduce depression risk. We investigated whether use of statin medications was associated with a change in the risk of developing depression in a very large Swedish national cohort (n = 4,607,990). Methods: National register data for adults &gt;= 40yr was analyzed to obtain information about depression diagnoses and prescriptions of statin medications between 2006 and 2008. Associations were tested using logistic regression. Results: Use of any statin was shown to reduce the odds of depression by 8% compared to individuals not using statin medications (OR = 0.92, 95% CI, 0.89-0.96; p &lt; 0.001). Simvastatin had a protective effect (OR = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.89-0.97; p = 0.001), whereas atorvastatin was associated with increased risk of depression (OR = 1.11, 95% CI, 1.01-1.22; p = 0.032). There was a stepwise decrease in odds ratio with increasing age (OR &gt;= 40 years = 0.95, OR &gt;= 50 years = 0.91, OR &gt;= 60 years = 0.85, OR &gt;= 70 years = 0.81). Conclusions: The use of any statin was associated with a reduction in risk of depression in individuals over the age of 40. Clarification of the strength of these protective effects, the clinical relevance of these effects and determination of which statins are most effective is needed.}},
  author       = {{Redlich, Cassie and Berk, Michael and Williams, Lana J. and Sundquist, Jan and Sundquist, Kristina and Li, Xinjun}},
  issn         = {{1471-244X}},
  keywords     = {{Statins; Atorvastatin; Simvastatin; Depression; Aetiology; Inflammation; Oxidative stress}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Statin use and risk of depression: a Swedish national cohort study}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3020190/7761864}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12888-014-0348-y}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}