Depression and overweight are each associated with abnormal immune system activation. We sought to disentangle the extent to which depressive symptoms and overweight status contributed to increased inflammation and abnormal cortisol levels.

Participants were recruited through the Wellcome Trust NIMA Consortium. The sample of 216 participants consisted of 69 overweight patients with depression; 35 overweight controls; 55 normal-weight patients with depression and 57 normal-weight controls. Peripheral inflammation was measured as high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) in serum. Salivary cortisol was collected at multiple points throughout the day to measure cortisol awakening response and diurnal cortisol levels.

Overweight patients with depression had significantly higher hsCRP compared with overweight controls (p = 0.042), normal-weight depressed patients (p < 0.001) and normal-weight controls (p < 0.001), after controlling for age and gender. Multivariable logistic regression showed that comorbid depression and overweight significantly increased the risk of clinically elevated hsCRP levels ⩾3 mg/L (OR 2.44, 1.28–3.94). In a separate multivariable logistic regression model, overweight status contributed most to the risk of having hsCRP levels ⩾3 mg/L (OR 1.52, 0.7–2.41), while depression also contributed a significant risk (OR 1.09, 0.27–2). There were no significant differences between groups in cortisol awakening response and diurnal cortisol levels.

Comorbid depression and overweight status are associated with increased hsCRP, and the coexistence of these conditions amplified the risk of clinically elevated hsCRP levels. Overweight status contributed most to the risk of clinically elevated hsCRP levels, but depression also contributed to a significant risk. We observed no differences in cortisol levels between groups.

抑郁和超重都与异常的免疫系统激活有关。我们试图弄清抑郁症状和超重状态导致炎症增加和皮质醇水平异常的程度。

参与者是通过 Wellcome Trust NIMA 联盟招募的。216 名参与者的样本包括 69 名超重的抑郁症患者；35超重控制；55 名体重正常的抑郁症患者和 57 名体重正常的对照者。外周炎症通过血清中的高敏 C 反应蛋白 (hsCRP) 测量。在一天中的多个时间点收集唾液皮质醇，以测量皮质醇觉醒反应和昼夜皮质醇水平。

在控制年龄和性别后，超重抑郁症患者的 hsCRP 显着高于超重对照组 ( p = 0.042)、正常体重抑郁患者 ( p < 0.001) 和正常体重对照组 ( p < 0.001)。多变量逻辑回归显示，共病抑郁症和超重显着增加了临床升高的 hsCRP 水平的风险 3 mg/L（OR 2.44，1.28-3.94）。在一个单独的多变量逻辑回归模型中，超重状态对 hsCRP 水平 3 mg/L 的风险贡献最大（OR 1.52，0.7-2.41），而抑郁症也有显着风险（OR 1.09，0.27-2）。皮质醇觉醒反应和昼夜皮质醇水平在各组之间没有显着差异。

共病抑郁症和超重状态与 hsCRP 升高有关，并且这些情况的共存增加了临床上升高的 hsCRP 水平的风险。超重状态对临床上升高的 hsCRP 水平的风险贡献最大，但抑郁症也导致显着风险。我们观察到组间皮质醇水平没有差异。