Diagnostic value of niacin skin blunting response in adolescent patients with depression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in the niacin skin flushing response of adolescent depressed patients and healthy adolescents and its diagnostic value in adolescent depression. METHODS: Thirty-eight cases of acute episodes of depression in unmedicated adolescents and 47 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included as study subjects, and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, all of which were stimulated with six concentration gradients (up to 60 mmol/L, followed by sequential 3-fold gradient dilution to a minimum of 0.25 mmol/L) of niacin solution on the forearm skin, and the skin flushing area was applied as an assessment index. RESULTS: The total area of redness of the skin in response to niacin was significantly lower in the adolescent depression group than in the healthy adolescent group (Z=-3.36, p = 0.001) and was able to distinguish the adolescent depression group from the healthy adolescent group (area under curve = 0.713, sensitivity 51.1%, specificity 83.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Niacin sensitivity is reduced in adolescent depressed patients, and the niacin skin flush response has potential clinical value as a diagnostic biomarker for adolescent depression.

The controlled study on psychosocial factors for post-stroke depression / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To investigate psychosocial factors for post-stroke depression (PSD). Methods 405 in-pa-tients with stroke were first screened for depression using Comprehensive International Diagnostic Interview-3.0. 22 pa-tients with depression were recruited as the depression group. From 383 patients without depression, 44 patients were se-lected and served as the non depression controlled group according to the sex and age paired with 1:2. Both groups were measured by using questionnaires including Life Event Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, Social Support Rat-ing Scale, Activities of Daily Living Scale and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Short Form. Re-sults The score of passive coping was significantly higher in depression group than in non depression group [(1.2 ± 0.5) vs. (0.8±0.7), P<0.05]. The score of subjective support was significantly lower in depression group than in non depression group [(17.5±4.0) vs. (20.7±4.6), P<0.05]. Logistic regression analysis showed, minority nationality (OR=2.564, 95%CI:1.039~6.327) and passive coping style (OR=2.223, 95%CI:1.052~5.192) were risk factors for PSD, while subjective sup-port was protective factor for PSD (OR=0.884, 95%CI:0.793~0.986). Conclusions Passive coping style and low subjec-tive support may be the important psychosocial factors of PSD.