Variation in chemokines plasma concentrations in primary care depressed patients associated with Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy.

How the presence of inflammation has repercussions for brain function is a topic of active research into depression. Signals released from immune system-related cells, including chemokines, might be indicative of active depression and can, hypothetically, serve as biomarkers of response to interventions, both pharmacological and psychological. The objective of this study is to analyze the peripheral plasma concentrations of CXCL12, CCL11, CX3CL1 and CCL2 in a cohort of depressed primary-care patients, as well as their evolution after an internet-based cognitive-behavioral intervention. The concentrations of those chemokines were measured in 66 primary-care patients with mild and moderate depression, before and after the intervention, as well as 60 controls, using multiplex immunoassays. Concentrations of CXCL12 and CCL2 were significantly higher in the clinical sample in comparison with controls. A stable multivariate discriminative model between both groups was found. Concentrations of all chemokines decreased after the internet-based psychological intervention. These findings support the implication of chemokines in depression, even in a sample of patients with mild and moderate severity. Furthermore, they demonstrate the need for further multidisciplinary research that confirms how biomarkers such as plasma chemokines can serve as a marker for depression and are sensitive to non-pharmacological interventions.

Prevalence of and risk factors for erectile dysfunction in young nondiabetic obese men: results from a regional study.

Erectile dysfunction (ED), a condition closely related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, is frequently associated with obesity. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of ED and evaluate the associated risk factors in a cohort of 254 young (18-49 years) nondiabetic obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg m-2) men from primary care. Erectile function (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF-5] questionnaire), quality of life (Aging Males' Symptoms [AMS scale]), and body composition analysis (Tanita MC-180MA) were determined. Total testosterone was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to study the factors associated with ED. ED prevalence was 42.1%. Subjects with ED presented higher BMI, waist circumference, number of components of the metabolic syndrome, AMS score, insulin resistance, and a more unfavorable body composition than those without ED. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a pathological AMS score (odds ratio [OR]: 4.238, P < 0.001), degree of obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg m-2, OR: 2.602, P = 0.005, compared with BMI 30-34.9 kg m-2), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels (OR: 0.956, P = 0.004), and age (OR: 1.047, P = 0.016) were factors independently associated with ED. In conclusion, we demonstrate that, in a primary care-based cohort of nondiabetic young obese men, ED affected >40% of subjects. A pathological AMS score, the degree of obesity, and age were positively associated with ED, while elevated HDL-cholesterol levels were inversely associated with the odds of presenting ED. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the long-term consequences of ED in this population.