Prospective bidirectional associations between depression and chronic kidney diseases

Previous studies had reported the mutual relation between depression and chronic kidney diseases (CKD). This study aimed to investigate potential bidirectional relationships between depression and CKD. Participants more than 45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were included in present study. In study I, we tended to assess the association between baseline depression with the risk of subsequent CKD. In study II, we aimed to examine whether the onset of CKD could predict the development of depression. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) in study I and study II, respectively. In study I, 301 (6.16%) respondents experienced CKD in participants without depression, and 233 (8.48%) respondents experienced CKD in participants with depression. Participants with depression had higher risk of developing CKD with the corresponding ORs (95% CIs) was 1.38(1.08–1.76). In study II, 1333 (22.29%) subjects in the non-CKD group and 97 (27.17%) in CKD group developed depressive symptoms. Individuals with CKD had higher risk of developing depression than those without CKD, with the multivariate ORs (95% CIs) was 1.48(1.23–1.78). Significant bidirectional relationships remained in both sensitivity and subgroup analyses. Findings demonstrate bidirectional relationships between depression and CKD. Individuals with depression were associated with increasing risk of CKD; in addition, CKD patients had higher risk of developing depression.