Association of depressive symptoms with chronic liver disease among middle-aged and older adults in China

Abstract

BackgroundThe relationship between depressive symptoms and chronic liver disease (CLD) is still unclear. We aimed to determine whether depressive symptoms are associated with CLD in a large population sample.MethodsThe data was from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), an ongoing nationally representative prospective cohort study. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the catchment-area epidemiology survey-depression (CES-D). CLD was identified by the patient’s self-report about a physician’s diagnosis at each visit. Multi-adjusted logistic regression and Cox regression models were used.ResultsA total of 14,995 participants (53.1% female; mean age: 58.85 ± 9.87 years) and 13,405 participants (53.64% female; mean age: 58.58 ± 9.69 years) were included in the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, respectively. In the cross-sectional analysis, the odds ratio of CLD in patients with moderate and severe depressive symptoms were 1.46 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.16–1.83] and 1.78 (95% CI, 1.23–2.56) than those with none/mild depressive symptoms, respectively. In the longitudinal analysis, compared to participants with none/mild depressive symptoms, the hazard rates of CLD in those with moderate and severe depressive symptoms were 1.65 (95%CI, 1.33–2.03) and 1.80 (95%CI, 1.24–2.60). And the 50th percentile difference of time (years) at the incidence of CLD in participants with moderate and severe depressive symptoms were − 0.83 (95%CI, −1.18, −0.49) and − 0.96 (95%CI, −1.56, −0.35), respectively.ConclusionElevated depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk of CLD among middle-aged and older adults in China.

The regional disparities in liver disease comorbidity among elderly Chinese based on a health ecological model: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

“… Assessment of liver disease Chronic liver diseases were identified according to the patient’s self-report about a physician’s diagnosis at each visit. The majority of chronic liver diseases include alcoholic liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis, including hepatitis B and C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and hemochromatosis, but except fatty liver, tumors, and cancer [ 27 , 28 ]. Comorbidity of liver disease were identified as when an individual suffers from liver disease and has more than one chronic disease.…”