Bhat SK, et al. – This study investigated the associations among blood pressure (BP), depression and anxiety symptom scores and self–reported history of depression in young adults. Data indicated an inverse association of SBP with depression and anxiety scores, independent of a range of lifestyle confounders. The inverse link between self–reported history of depression and SBP was enhanced by adiposity despite a positive association between BMI and BP.

Methods

• Researchers analyzed data on 1014 participants aged 20 years from the Western Australian Cohort (Raine) Study for cross-sectional associations between clinic BP and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale questionnaire scores or a reported history of depression, accounting for relevant confounders.

Results

• It was demonstrated in multivariable adjusted analyses that an inverse relationship existed between SBP with depression (coefficient = -0.10; P = 0.012) and anxiety (after excluding two outliers with SBP > 156 mmHg, coefficient = -0.13; P = 0.018) scores, independent of sex, BMI, female hormonal contraceptive use, alcohol consumption, birth weight and maternal hypertension in pregnancy.
• Researchers observed that SBP was 1.6 mmHg lower for 2 SD (16 units) increase in depression score.
• In addition, data reported an inverse association between self-reported history of depression (15.8% of participants) and SBP (coefficient = -1.91; P = 0.023), with an interaction with increasing BMI (interaction coefficient = -0.43; P = 0.002) enhancing this difference.