Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms, Anemia, and Iron Status in Older Residents From a National Survey Population
2012/01/27 by Robert Stewart, Vasant Hirani · 95 citations
Medicine · #Anemia #Body mass index #Confidence interval #Cross-sectional study #Depression (economics) #Erythropoietin and Anemia Treatment #Ferritin #Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders #Internal medicine #Iron Metabolism and Disorders #Iron deficiency #Medicine #Multivitamin #National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey #Odds ratio #Population #Soluble transferrin receptor #Vitamin
paper · doi:10.1097/psy.0b013e3182414f7d
published in Psychosomatic Medicine 74(2), 208-213 (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)
openalex publication_date 2012/01/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between iron deficiency status and depressive symptoms in a national community sample of older people. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were analyzed from 1875 participants 65 years and older who had participated in the 2005 Health Survey for England. Serum hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, and transferrin receptor levels and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale) had been measured. Covariates included age, sex, occupation, multivitamin intake, smoking status, body mass index, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were associated with anemia (Hb <12.0 g/dL for women and <13.0 g/dL for men; present in 10.8%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.53 [95% confidence interval = 1.08-2.18]) after adjustment for age, sex, social class, multivitamin intake, smoking status, and body mass index, but this association was reduced substantially after further adjustment for physical health status (OR = 1.14). Low serum ferritin level (<45 ng/mL; present in 21.6%) was associated with depressive symptoms after full adjustment (OR = 1.37 [95% confidence interval = 1.03-1.81]). Linear models, however, revealed significant associations between higher number of depressive symptoms and lower Hb level and higher serum transferrin receptor level but not with ferritin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Iron deficiency commonly co-occurs with depressive symptoms in older people, although the association with anemia is accounted for by physical health status and may primarily reflect anemia of chronic disease.
Cited by
- Alterations of selected iron management parameters and activity in food-restricted female Wistar rats (animal anorexia models). [europepmc]
- Effect of short-term food restriction on iron metabolism, relative well-being and depression symptoms in healthy women. [europepmc]
- Markers of Oxidative Stress and Neuroprogression in Depression Disorder. [europepmc]
- Higher Body Iron Is Associated with Greater Depression Symptoms among Young Adult Men but not Women: Observational Data from the Daily Life Study. [europepmc]
- Evaluation of Nutritional Status of Patients with Depression. [europepmc]
- Association between Serum Ferritin Concentrations and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Adults: A Population Study from the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIHealth) Cohort Study. [europepmc]
- Distinct Physical Function Profiles in Older Adults Receiving Cancer Chemotherapy. [europepmc]
- Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping Reveals an Association between Brain Iron Load and Depression Severity. [europepmc]
- Consequences of Inadequate Intakes of Vitamin A, Vitamin B 12 , Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Folate in Older Persons. [europepmc]
- Latent Iron Deficiency as a Marker of Negative Symptoms in Patients with First-Episode Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder. [europepmc]
- The Prevalence of Anemia and its Association with Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults in North of Iran. [europepmc]
- Influence of Hemoglobin Level on Muscle and Physical Functions, Activities of Daily Living, and Quality of Life in Patients With Hematological Malignancies. [europepmc]
- Iron Status is Associated with Mood, Cognition, and Functional Ability in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. [europepmc]
- Iron Deficiency-Induced Changes in the Hippocampus, Corpus Striatum, and Monoamines Levels That Lead to Anxiety, Depression, Sleep Disorders, and Psychotic Disorders. [europepmc]
- Iron Dysregulation and Frailty Syndrome. [europepmc]
- Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Associating Neuropsychiatric Manifestations with a Significant Impact on Disease Management-Case Report and Literature Review. [europepmc]
- Iron status and mental disorders: A Mendelian randomization study. [europepmc]
- The association between anemia and depression in older adults and the role of treating anemia. [europepmc]
- Brain Iron Metabolism, Redox Balance and Neurological Diseases. [europepmc]
- Trace Elements Levels in Major Depressive Disorder-Evaluation of Potential Threats and Possible Therapeutic Approaches. [europepmc]
- Brain Iron Homeostasis and Mental Disorders. [europepmc]
- Iron status in Swiss adolescents with paediatric major depressive disorder and healthy controls: a matched case-control study. [europepmc]
- Dietary Iron Intake and Mental and Behavioral Disorders Due to Use of Tobacco: A UK Biobank Study. [europepmc]
- Blood-based biomarkers in mild behavioral impairment: an updated overview. [europepmc]
- Plant-based diets and depression: epidemiological evidence, biological mechanisms, and implications for prevention. [europepmc]
Related