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Depression Symptom Severity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Healthy and Depressed Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Background

Depression symptom severity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are significant predictors of mortality and disability. However, the relationship between the two is unclear.

Objective

This meta-analysis assessed the relationship between depression symptom severity and CRF in healthy and depressed adults (aged 18 years and over).

Search Methods

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and ProQuest databases were browsed for relevant English-language studies published from January 2000 to August 2014.

Selection Criteria

Studies reporting a correlation between a depression scale and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2peak), as well as studies from the data of which such a correlation could be calculated, were included in this analysis.

Data Analysis

Correlation coefficients (CCs) were converted to Fisher’s z values, and the analysis was performed using a random-effects model. Then, summary effects and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were converted back to CCs.

Results

Sixteen studies (totalling 4039 participants) were included in this analysis. A modest correlation between depression symptom severity and CRF was found (CC −0.16, 95 % CI −0.21 to −0.10), appearing stronger in male participants (CC − 0.22, 95 % CI −0.26 to −0.18) than in female participants (CC −0.12, 95 % CI −0.19 to −0.05; p = 0.01). There was no difference in the summary effect between healthy and depressed adults (p = 0.43). Heterogeneity was moderate (I 2 = 33 %; p = 0.09).

Conclusions

Depression symptom severity is inversely correlated with CRF, and this correlation is stronger in men than in women. Clinical and prognostic implications of the correlation are discussed. These findings should stimulate further research on the effects of treating one variable on the other.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Heart Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar

    Theodoros Papasavvas & Mohammad Alhashemi

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK

    Theodoros Papasavvas & Dominic Micklewright

  3. Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Robert O. Bonow

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Theodoros Papasavvas, Robert O. Bonow, Mohammad Alhashemi and Dominic Micklewright declare that they have no conflicts of interest that are relevant to the content of this article.

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Papasavvas, T., Bonow, R.O., Alhashemi, M. et al. Depression Symptom Severity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Healthy and Depressed Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med 46, 219–230 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0409-5

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