Prof. Susan Davis1, Dr Rakib M Islam1, Prof Robin J Bell1, Prof Michael Berk2, Prof David Handelsman3, Assoc Prof Robyn Woods1, Prof Rory Wolfe1, Prof John McNeil1
1School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 2The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation Strategy Research Centre, Deakin University School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia, 3ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Objective
To determine whether sex hormone concentrations are associated with depression in healthy older women.
Methods
6358 women, aged at least 70 years, had sex steroids measured by liquid chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry. Depression was defined as a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression-10 score >/=10 .
Results
5355 participants (median age 74.0 years (IQR 71.7-77.7), not taking sex hormones, anti-estrogens, anti-androgens or systemic glucocorticoids, provided data. The prevalence of depression was 5.8% (95%CI: 5.2-6.4). In a logistic regression model that included age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, living circumstances and frailty, higher estrone was associated with a lower likelihood of depression (OR for 3rd vs 1st (lowest) quartile 0.70 (95% CI, 0.50 to 0.97) p=0.03 ; 4th vs 1st quartile 0.72 (95% CI, 0.51 to 1.00) p=0.05). Prevalent depression was significantly different from the lowest quartile for the 2nd quartile of testosterone (0.67 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.94), p=0.02). There was no association between dehydroepiandrosterone and depression. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the contribution of each of estrone and testosterone to the likelihood of depression was marginal.
Conclusions
Depression was associated with lower estrone and testosterone, however the effects were very modest.
Biography:
Professor Susan R Davis AO, MBBS FRACP PhD FAHMS is an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow, Director, Monash University Women’s Health Research Program, Consultant Endocrinologist and Head, Specialist Women’s Health Clinic, Alfred Hospital Melbourne and consultant at Cabrini Medical Centre.
Prof Davis is a past President of the Australasian Menopause Society and immediate past President of the International Menopause Society. Prof Davis was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine and to women’s health (2021), and received the Medal of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2022.