A study investigating how the albumin-globulin ratio relates to depression risk within U.S. adults: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: The relationship between the albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) and depression is not well understood. This analysis aims to investigate the relationship between AGR in conjunction with depression in U.S. adults.

Methods: This study analyzed information from 31,363 individuals collected by NHANES during the years 2005 to 2018. The PHQ-9 scale was employed to gauge depression, where a score of 10 or above signified depression. Weighted multivariable logistic modeling along with smooth curve fitting were applied to explore the AGR-depression connection. To confirm our findings, we carried out sensitivity analyses, subgroup analyses, and interaction tests.

Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, a higher AGR is associated with a lower risk of depression (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47-0.79). Dividing AGR into quartiles revealed that participants in the highest quartile (Q4) of AGR had a markedly lower risk of depression than those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.53-0.77). Using smooth curve fitting, we suggested a possible linear inverse association connecting AGR with depression. Further subgroup and sensitivity analyses supported these findings, although factors such as diabetes and hypertension might influence the relationship.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that elevated AGR levels correlate with a lower risk of depression. The findings suggest AGR as a potential biomarker for depression screening and prevention. Further studies are required to determine causality and clarify the mechanisms between AGR and depression.