| Title: | Sex differences in associations of serum calcium with risk of depression: a prospective cohort study |
| Journal: | Journal of Affective Disorders |
| Published: | 2 Nov 2025 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41187818/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.120596 |
Publication 19074
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: The association between serum calcium levels and the risk of depression is not well understood, especially regarding sex differences.</p>
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association separately among males and females.</p>
METHODS: Data were extracted from the UK Biobank. A total of 341,923 participants without depression at baseline were included. Cases of depression were identified through database linkage until December 31, 2022. The hazards of depression were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the mediation effect of hypertension and diabetes.</p>
RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 13.21 years, 6818 cases and 11,097 cases of depression for males and females were identified. Participants in the second, third, and fourth quartile of serum calcium (> 2.31 to ≤2.37 mmol/L [Q2], > 2.37 to ≤2.43 mmol/L [Q3], and > 2.43 mmol/L [Q4]) had lower risks of depression compared to those in the first quartile (≤ 2.31 mmol/L [Q1]) among females (hazard ratios [HRs], 95 % confidence intervals [CIs] for Q2, Q3, and Q4: 0.92 [0.87, 0.97], 0.87 [0.82, 0.91], and 0.87 [0.82, 0.91], respectively). Mediation analyses indicated that hypertension and diabetes mediated the association among females, with proportions of 5.49 % and 1.34 %, respectively. No similar association was observed among males.</p>
CONCLUSION: High serum calcium levels are associated with reduced risks of depression among females, which is mediated by hypertension and diabetes. These findings highlight the importance of assessing serum calcium levels to predict the risk of developing depression in females.</p>
15 Keywords
- Adult
- Aged
- Calcium
- Depression
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Female
- Humans
- Hypertension
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Proportional Hazards Models
- Prospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Sex Factors
- United Kingdom
3 Authors
- Xiaoxue Li
- Jie Liang
- Fanfan Zheng
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