Loading...
Depression is associated with several physiologic alterations, including a hyperadrenergic state, hypercortisolemia, and an increase in inflammatory cytokines. In turn, each of these alterations may contribute to bone loss. In a cross-sectional study, bone-mineral density (BMD) was assessed among 89 premenopausal women with current or recent major depressive disorder and among 44 premenopausal women without depression.
In the depression group, 82% of the women were receiving antidepressant medication. After adjustment for body-mass index, BMD was significantly lower (by approximately 2%) in depressed women than in controls; the prevalence of low BMD (T score, <–1 at the hip, spine, or both) was greater among women with depression (28% vs. 11…