Association Between Depression and Asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
Dublin Core
Title
Association Between Depression and Asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
Subject
Depression, Mental--Genetic aspects
Electronic Resource Item Type Metadata
Journal Name
BMC Psychiatry
Volume
Vol. 25
Publication Date
2025
Publisher
BioMed Central (London)
Document Type
Research paper
Language
English
ISBN
1471244X
Access
Open Access
View Source
Abstract
Background
Depression and asthma share several pathophysiologic risk factors, and their precise connection remains unclear. Our research seeks to assess the relationship between depression and asthma.
Methods
The association between depression and asthma was assessed through a multivariable logistic regression analysis, with data sourced from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2018 and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) 2004–2019. Subsequently, a linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the genetic correlation between depression and asthma. Moreover, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted by employing genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics by means of both univariable MR (UVMR) and multivariable MR (MVMR).
Results
This study included 31,434 participants from NHANES and 17,021 participants from ELSA for observational research. In the unadjusted model, participants with depression had a significantly increased risk of asthma in comparison to participants without depression, both in NHANES (OR = 2.002, 95%CI: 1.827–2.193, P < 0.001) and in ELSA (OR = 1.753, 95%CI: 1.581–1.943, P < 0.001). After adjusting potential confounders, the results remain significant. The LDSC result revealed a significant positive genetic correlation between depression and asthma (rg = 0.352, P < 0.001).The UVMR results further substantiated a genetically predicted causality of depression on asthma (OR = 1.291, 95%CI: 1.157–1.442, P < 0.001), while the reverse causality does not stand. Similar findings from MVMR were obtained for the causality investigation after adjusting smoking (OR = 1.326, 95%CI: 1.156–1.520, P < 0.001), drinking (OR = 1.375, 95%CI: 1.186–1.593, P < 0.001), and education (OR = 1.425, 95%CI: 1.253–1.621, P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that depression may play a contributory role in the development of asthma, underscoring the potential benefit of implementing prevention strategies aimed at managing depression to mitigate asthma risk.
Depression and asthma share several pathophysiologic risk factors, and their precise connection remains unclear. Our research seeks to assess the relationship between depression and asthma.
Methods
The association between depression and asthma was assessed through a multivariable logistic regression analysis, with data sourced from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2018 and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) 2004–2019. Subsequently, a linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the genetic correlation between depression and asthma. Moreover, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted by employing genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics by means of both univariable MR (UVMR) and multivariable MR (MVMR).
Results
This study included 31,434 participants from NHANES and 17,021 participants from ELSA for observational research. In the unadjusted model, participants with depression had a significantly increased risk of asthma in comparison to participants without depression, both in NHANES (OR = 2.002, 95%CI: 1.827–2.193, P < 0.001) and in ELSA (OR = 1.753, 95%CI: 1.581–1.943, P < 0.001). After adjusting potential confounders, the results remain significant. The LDSC result revealed a significant positive genetic correlation between depression and asthma (rg = 0.352, P < 0.001).The UVMR results further substantiated a genetically predicted causality of depression on asthma (OR = 1.291, 95%CI: 1.157–1.442, P < 0.001), while the reverse causality does not stand. Similar findings from MVMR were obtained for the causality investigation after adjusting smoking (OR = 1.326, 95%CI: 1.156–1.520, P < 0.001), drinking (OR = 1.375, 95%CI: 1.186–1.593, P < 0.001), and education (OR = 1.425, 95%CI: 1.253–1.621, P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that depression may play a contributory role in the development of asthma, underscoring the potential benefit of implementing prevention strategies aimed at managing depression to mitigate asthma risk.
Cataloger
Haley Lesemann
Citation
“Association Between Depression and Asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence,” ICMGLT Digital Library, accessed November 3, 2026, https://library.icmglt.org/items/show/780.