Association of motoric cognitive risk syndrome with depression in older adults: a meta-analysis and systematic review of cross-sectional and cohort studies.

Background: In an aging society, depression has become a public health challenge that can lead to many adverse health outcomes; evidence addressing the link between depression and motor cognitive risk syndrome (MCR, a novel syndrome that effectively predicts dementia) is still lacking.

Methods: A PRISMA checklist was used to systematically review the relevant peer-reviewed literature for the primary data analysis. A computer search of CNKI, Wan Fang Data, CBM, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Ovid databases, all from creation to March 15, 2023. A meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 17.0, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale instrument (NOS), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) for quality appraisal. We used Q and I statistics to assess heterogeneity and random effects models to pool estimates. Egger's regression tests and adjustments were made using the trim and fill test.

Result: Thirteen studies were included, including seven cross-sectional studies and six cohort studies, and data on the association between depression and MCR in the elderly were extracted. Moreover, the results of the meta-analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between depression and MCR in the cross-sectional study [OR = 2.43, 95% CI(1.31 ~ 3.54), P < 0.01]. In the cohort study, depression in the elderly was associated with the occurrence of MCR [HR = 1.19, 95% CI(1.08 ~ 1.30), P < 0.01]; Subgroup analysis by age, depression assessment tool, MCR assessment tool, and follow-up time (cohort study only) showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: Meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies and cohort studies showed that depression in older adults was associated with the development of MCR, and depression increased the risk of MCR in older adults.