A Meta-Analysis of Oxidative Stress Markers in Depression

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 10; p. e0138904
• Main Authors: Liu, Tao, Zhong, Shuming, Liao, Xiaoxiao, Chen, Jian, He, Tingting, Lai, Shunkai, Jia, Yanbin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 07-10-2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acids; Albumin; Albumins - metabolism; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Aryldialkylphosphatase - blood; Ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Assessments; Biomarkers - blood; Brain; Case-Control Studies; Chemical compounds; Cholesterol; Clinical medicine; Complications and side effects; Control methods; Cross-Sectional Studies; Damage; Data processing; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Depression (Mood disorder); Depression - blood; Depression - drug therapy; Depression - metabolism; Depressive Disorder - blood; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - metabolism; DNA; Drugs; Erythrocytes; F2-Isoprostanes - blood; Free radicals; Genetic aspects; Hospitals; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Isoprostanes; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Lipoproteins; Lipoproteins, HDL - blood; Malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - blood; Markers; Mental depression; Meta-analysis; Nitrogen dioxide; Oxidation; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxidative Stress - physiology; Paraoxonase; Patients; Peroxide; Proteins; Psychiatry; Risk factors; Sensitivity analysis; Studies; Supplements; Uric acid; Uric Acid - blood; Vasoactive intestinal peptide; Vitamin C; Zinc; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138904

Studies have suggested that depression was accompanied by oxidative stress dysregulation, including abnormal total antioxidant capacity (TAC), antioxidants, free radicals, oxidative damage and autoimmune response products. This meta-analysis aims to analyse the clinical data quantitatively by comparing the oxidative stress markers between depressed patients and healthy controls.
A search was conducted to collect the studies that measured the oxidative stress markers in depressed patients. Studies were searched in Embase, Medline, PsychINFO, Science direct, CBMDisc, CNKI and VIP from 1990 to May 2015. Data were subjected to meta-analysis by using a random effects model for examining the effect sizes of the results. Bias assessments, heterogeneity assessments and sensitivity analyses were also conducted.
115 articles met the inclusion criteria. Lower TAC was noted in acute episodes (AEs) of depressed patients (p<0.05). Antioxidants, including serum paraoxonase, uric acid, albumin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and zinc levels were lower than controls (p<0.05); the serum uric acid, albumin and vitamin C levels were increased after antidepressant therapy (p<0.05). Oxidative damage products, including red blood cell (RBC) malondialdehyde (MDA), serum MDA and 8-F2-isoprostanes levels were higher than controls (p<0.05). After antidepressant medication, RBC and serum MDA levels were decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, serum peroxide in free radicals levels were higher than controls (p<0.05). There were no differences between the depressed patients and controls for other oxidative stress markers.
This meta-analysis supports the facts that the serum TAC, paraoxonase and antioxidant levels are lower, and the serum free radical and oxidative damage product levels are higher than controls in depressed patients. Meanwhile, the antioxidant levels are increased and the oxidative damage product levels are decreased after antidepressant medication. The pathophysiological relationships between oxidative stress and depression, and the potential benefits of antioxidant supplementation deserve further research.