Depressive symptoms in the elderly: association with total white blood cell count.
1. The white blood cell (WBC) count in those with high depressive symptoms and non-depressed participants in the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) were compared. 2. Of 3769 participants 10.8% had high depressive symptoms as assessed by the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. The mean white blood cell count was higher in the high depressive symptoms group compared to the non-depressed group (6.8 +/- 0.12 x 10(9) WBC/1 and 6.5 +/- 0.03 x 10(9) WBC/1, respectively, p < 0.01). 3. Because older adults frequently have disabling chronic conditions which could both influence their leukocyte count and cause depressive symptoms, models were developed which controlled for the potential confounding. Even after adjusting for potential confounders, high depressive symptoms were still associated with higher white blood cell counts.
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- Statistics as Topic
- Psychiatry
- Male
- Linear Models
- Leukocyte Count
- Humans
- Female
- Disabled Persons
- Diagnosis, Differential
- Depressive Disorder
Citation
Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Statistics as Topic
- Psychiatry
- Male
- Linear Models
- Leukocyte Count
- Humans
- Female
- Disabled Persons
- Diagnosis, Differential
- Depressive Disorder