Background
Increased levels of homocysteine have been associated with anger and depression separately.
We investigated the association of anger attacks in major depressive disorder (MDD)
with serum levels of homocysteine.
Methods
Homocysteine serum levels were measured in 192 outpatients with nonpsychotic MDD,
mean age 39.9 ± 10.7 (range 19–65), 53% women, at baseline of an open-trial antidepressant
treatment. We used the Massachusetts General Hospital Anger Attacks Questionnaire
to evaluate anger attacks, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Axis I
Disorders—Patient Edition (SCID-I/P) to diagnose MDD and the 17-item Hamilton Rating
Scale for Depression to measure depression severity.
Results
In the multiple regression analysis split by anger attacks adjusted for parameters
of depression, creatinine, vitamin B12, folate, age, smoking, and alcohol consumption, serum levels of homocysteine were
positively correlated with length of current major depressive episode (t value, 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], .09 to .43; p = .004) and HAM-D-17 scores (t value, 2.48; 95% CI, .07 to 0.64; p = .016) in patients with anger attacks but not in those without anger attacks.
Conclusions
Anger attacks in MDD may moderate the relationship of homocysteine serum levels with
the severity and length of the depressive episode. Future studies are warranted to
confirm and clarify the nature of this moderating effect.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 02, 2005
Accepted:
August 15,
2005
Received in revised form:
August 3,
2005
Received:
April 5,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
