BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the endothelial function by reactive hyperemia index (RHI) in patients with depression, subjects recovering from depression, and subjects without a history of depression.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Outpatients were recruited from a general hospital in China; 62 patients diagnosed with depression and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD17) total scores ≥17 were enrolled as the depression group, 62 patients with a history of depression, discontinuation of antidepressants therapy at least 3 months ago, and HAMD17 ≤7 were recruited as remission group, and 62 subjects without a history of depression served as the control group (HAMD17 ≤7).

RESULTS: The mean RHI was 1.93, 2.34, and 2.19 in depression, control, and remission groups, respectively, showing a significant difference among the 3 groups (P=0.0004). In addition, a marked difference in RHI was found between depression and control groups (P=0.0003) and between depression and remission groups (P=0.0270). However, there was no significant difference between remission and control groups (P=0.3363).

CONCLUSIONS: There is a relationship between depression and endothelial dysfunction in outpatients from a general hospital in China. The improvement of depression is synchronous with the improvement of endothelial function.

Keywords: Analysis of Variance, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depressive Disorder - pathology, Endothelium - physiology, Hyperemia - pathology, Neuropsychological Tests, Outpatients - statistics & numerical data, Recurrence