Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Central obesity is the source of inflammatory factors, causing endothelial dysfunction. In central nervous system, inflammatory factors mediate neurotransmitter metabolism promoting excitotoxicity and increase oxidative stress, and a major clinical symptom is depression. Mediterranean diet (MD) resulted as a good prevention method for depression.

Aim: To examine the relationship of depression with abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) criteria, blood pressure, lipids, glycaemia and inflammation factors. Analysing effects of MD on weight correction, abdominal obesity and consequent less score points in Hamilton scale for depression.

Methods: Study included 36 adolescents and youth (16–30 years) and 22 adults over 30 years, overweight and obese patients with MS, diagnosed with depression using Hamilton scale. MS was diagnosed using ATP III classification criteria. The following parameters were observed: BMI, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, lipids, CRP and basal glycaemia and insulin. Seven day scheduled MD was used by patients.

Results: Correlation is found between Hamilton’s scale score and body weight, BMI, WC (P<0.01) and CRP (P<0.05) in adolescents and youth. Implementation of MD resulted in reduction of body weight and WC (P<0.05), Hamilton’s scale score (P<0.001), insulinemia, HOMA-IR and CRP (P>0.5). Hamilton’s scale and Hamilton’s scale score correlated with insulin (P<0.05) and glycaemia (P<0.05), basal insulin correlated with CRP (P<0.05). After MD values of Hamilton’s score, WC, insulin and CRP were lower (P>0.5).

Conclusions: Mediterranean diet resulted with reduced values of Hamilton’s scale score, waist circumference, insulinemia and CRP in patients with MS and depression. Positive correlation of Hamilton’s scale score with glycaemia and insulinemia suggest importance of insulin resistance and glucoregulation disorder on occurrence and stage of depression in obese patients with metabolic syndrome. CRP is useful marker for low grade inflammation in obese patients with MS, hence depression.

Keywords: metabolic syndrome; obesity; depression; Mediterranean diet; hyperinsulinism