Objectives The relationship of depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of depressive symptoms on the functional and structural markers of subclinical atherosclerosis as measured by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). Methods A systematic literature search was performed electronically. Studies relating IMT, PWV or FMD to depressive symptoms were included. Standard/weighted mean differences (SMD/WMD) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled in overall and subgroup analyses (age, sex, depression diagnosis, region, study design, site measured and sample size). Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were also conducted. Results Thirty-eight articles involving 5947 patients with depressive symptoms and 34,423 controls without depressive symptoms were included. Compared with controls without depressive symptoms, patients with depressive symptoms showed a significantly thicker IMT (SMD (95% CI) = 0.137 (0.047-0.227), p = 0.003), a higher PWV (SMD (95% CI) = 0.216 (0.139-0.293), p < 0.001) and a lower FMD (WMD (95% CI) = -2.554 (-3.709 to -1.399), p < 0.001). When analyzing subgroups with age and female ratio, all results were still significant ( p < 0.05) except IMT and FMD in age < 50 years subgroups ( p > 0.05). There was no statistical significance in sensitivity analysis and publication bias ( p > 0.05). Conclusions Depressive symptoms contributed toward subclinical atherosclerosis, and resulted in impaired functional and structural markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, which holds great promise in early prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Keywords: Depressive symptom; flow-mediated vasodilation; intima-media thickness; pulse wave velocity; subclinical atherosclerosis; systematic review and meta-analysis.