Influence of Depressive State on Levels of Homocysteine and Thyroid Hormone in Patients with Hypertension

Abstract Objective: To explore the influence of depressive state on the levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and thyroid hormone in patients with hypertension.Methods: Totally 179 patients with primary hypertension were selected and divided into depression group (n=97) and non-depression group (n=82) according to whether to be complicated with depressive disorder. The venous blood was drawn for detecting the level of Hcy of 2 groups by enzymatic cycling assay, and serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyrotropic hormone (TSH) by chemiluminiscence. The correlation between Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) scores and levels of plasma Hcy and serum FT3, FT4 and TSH was analyzed.Results: Compared with non-depression group, the level of plasma Hcy increased and the levels of FT3 and FT4 decreased in depression group (<I>P</I><0.05), but there was no statistical difference between 2 groups (<I>P</I>>0.05). HAMD scores in depression group had a positive correlation with the level of plasma Hcy (<I>r</I>=0.593, <I>P</I>=0.024), a negative correlation with the level of serum FT3 (<I>r</I>=-0.421，<I>P</I>=0.011), and no relationships with the levels of serum FT4 and TSH (<I>r</I>=-0.137, <I>P</I>=0.334; <I>r</I>=0.058, <I>P</I>=0.576).Conclusion: Hypertensive patients complicated with depression have abnormal level of Hcy and thyroid hormones. Moreover, the depressive degree of patients is positively correlated with the level of Hcy and negatively with the level of FT3