HAM/TSP and major depression: the role of age

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of demographic variables in the relationship between the presence of HAM/TSP and current major depression. METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study of 108 HTLV-1 infected patients (47 with TSP/HAM) resident of Salvador, Brazil. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Brazilian Version 5 was used to evaluate the presence of depression. Prevalence ratios were used to describe relationship between HAM/TSP and depression. The HAM/TSP classification was carried out according to the criteria proposed by Castro-Costa et al. RESULTS: Prevalence of depression was 37.96%. No association was observed between presence of HAM/TSP and diagnosis of current major depression in the global analysis of patients (PR: 0.94; CI 95%: 0.57–1.55). In the stratified analysis, however, greater prevalence of depression was observed amongst individuals with HAM/TSP in the 18–39 age group (PR: 2.59; CI 95%: 1.36–4.95). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that age is an effect modifier in the relationship between HAM/TSP and depression, and this aspect should be considered in future studies on the topic.