Correlation of clinical features with hs-CRP in TRD patients

Correlation of clinical features with hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) was investigated. The severity of disease in 103 TRD patients and 103 non-TRD patients was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)-17. The levels of hs-CRP in both groups were detected via immunofluorescence. Clinical features and differences in hs-CRP before and after treatment in both groups were analyzed, and correlation of baseline hs-CRP level with clinical features of TRD patients was also analyzed. Moreover, the relationship between hs-CRP and occurrence of TRD was analyzed using logistic regression analysis, and the diagnostic value of hs-CRP in TRD was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The onset age in the TRD group was lower than that in the non-TRD group, the education in the TRD group was shorter than that in the non-TRD group, the total course of disease in the TRD group was longer than that in the non-TRD group, and both baseline and post-treatment hs-CRP level in the TRD group (12.05±5.79 and 9.02±3.71 mg/l) were higher than those in the non-TRD group (7.85±2.85 and 6.10±2.74 mg/l) (p<0.05). The HAMD score (r=0.338, p=0.031), anxiety/somatization factor score (r=0.465, p=0.015) and sleep disorder (r=0.387, p=0.029) of TRD patients were positively correlated with the hs-CRP level, but the onset age (r=−0.59, p=0.009) was negatively correlated with the hs-CRP level. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the baseline hs-CRP was included into the TRD regression equation [odds ratio (OR) =2.834, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.723–4.886], and the area under the ROC curve was 0.893 (p<0.05, 95% CI=0.852–0.933). In the TRD group, the course of TRD in patients was longer, the onset of disease was earlier and the educational level was lower than that in the non-TRD group. Therefore, the level of hs-CRP can serve as a reference for the diagnosis of TRD.