Elevated total cholesterol in severely depressed patients: role in cardiovascular risk?

Das PP, Malhotra S, Chakrabarti S, Sharma S · Dept of Psychiatry & Dept of Biochemistry, PGIMER

World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 2010;11(2 Pt 2):321–328 · PMID: 19462342 · doi:10.3109/15622970902960889

ABSTRACT

Background: Cholesterol is essential to neuronal cell membranes and mediates multiple CNS functions. Abnormalities in serum lipid fractions have been reported in depression, but their significance remains elusive. Aims: To study lipid fraction abnormalities in unipolar depression. Methods: 30 patients with unipolar depression and matched normal controls. Serum total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL, and triglycerides measured; ANCOVA controlling for age, sex, BMI, lifestyle, and dietary habits.

N = 30 depressed + matched controls · ANCOVA

KEY FINDINGS (VERIFIED FROM PUBLISHED SOURCE)

• Significant elevation of serum total cholesterol in depressed patients vs normal controls

• Counterintuitive finding given prior literature reporting low cholesterol in depression

• Raises the question of whether elevated cholesterol in depression contributes to cardiovascular risk

• First Indian controlled study examining the full lipid profile in unipolar depression