Systemic low-grade inflammation and subsequent depressive symptoms: Is there a mediating role of physical activity?

Objective: Systemic low-grade inflammation has been associated with the onset of depression, but the exact mechanisms underlying this relationship remain elusive. This study examined whether physical activity (PA) explained the association between elevated serum levels of inflammatory markers and subsequent depressive symptoms.

Design: Prospective cohort design.

Combined influence of depressive symptoms and systemic inflammation on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: evidence for differential effects by gender in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Background: Depressive symptoms and inflammation are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. We investigated the combined association of these factors with the prediction of CVD and all-cause mortality in a representative cohort of older men and women.

Methods: We measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and depressive symptoms in 5328 men and women aged 52-89 years in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.