Depressive Symptoms and 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans: The SABPA Study
Authors: Hamer M, Frasure-Smith N, Lesperance F, Harvey B, Malan N, Malan L
Year: 2012
Source: International Journal of Hypertension 2012:6 pages.
Abstract: Disturbances in circadian rhythm might play a central role in the neurobiology of depression. We examined the association between depressive symptoms and 24-hour ambulatory BP in a sample of 405 (197 black and 208 Caucasian) urbanized African teachers aged 25 to 60 yrs (mean 44.6 ± 9.6 yrs). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the self-administered 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). After adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity, participants with severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ? 15) had higher odds of hypertension defined from ambulatory BP and/or use of antihypertensive medication (odds ratio = 2.19, 95% CI, 1.00?4.90) in comparison to participants with no symptoms. Compared to Caucasians with no depressive symptoms, those with severe symptoms had blunted nocturnal systolic BP drop of 4.7?mmHg (95% CI, ?0.5 to 10.0, P=0.07 ). In summary, depressive symptoms were associated with the circadian BP profile in black and Caucasian Africans. Abstract originally from the Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Reprinted with permission under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
Institution: m.hamer@ucl.ac.uk. Psychobiology Group, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT
Language: English
Subject headings: Blood pressure, Depression
Geographic areas: Europe, United Kingdom