Carotid atherosclerosis in depression and anxiety : Associations for age of depression onset

AbstractObjective. Mental health and cardiovascular disease have been associated, whereas the temporal course and underlying mechanisms are still incompletely understood. Our aims were to examine the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in subjects with depressive or anxiety disorder, also taking into account disorder characteristics (subtype, severity, duration, age of onset, medication). Methods. The sample included 470 depression or anxiety cases and 179 controls, aged 20–66 years, participating in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Diagnoses were assigned using the DSM-IV based Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and plaque information were obtained using B-mode ultrasound imaging. Results. Overall, depressive and anxiety disorders were not associated with carotid atherosclerosis. However, age of depression onset was associated with CIMT (total: 0.01mm per 10 years, P = 0.01; bifurcation: 0.02mm per 10 years, P = 0.003) and plaqu...