Risk Factors of Mood Disorders (Depression and Anxiety) in Smoking Subjects: Reliability with the Age of Smoking Initiation and Inflammatory Processes

Aims: The aim of our study was to investigate the causal relationship between smoking and mood disorders (depression, anxiety) and to determine the class at high risk (to developing depression and/or anxiety) depending on age (begin smoking at adulthood (Adt: [23-32] years), childhood (Ch: [5-11] years) or adolescent(Ads: [12-17] years)).
Place and Duration of Study: This study is conducted by Universities of Mentouri Constantine and Badji Mokhtar Annaba, Algeria. Between October 2011 to April 2012.
Methodology: A demographic questionnaire collected data about patient’s characteristics and medical status, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Fagerstrom Test. All subjects underwent a thorough medical evaluation and laboratory exam (WBC count, CRP, ESR, Hct). Our study included 96 smokers male divided into several groups according to the desired statistical analysis.
Results: Multivariate analysis by using regression analysis, showed that 85 % of the variability of depression is explained by duration of cigarette smoking (years), the age of smoking initiation (years) and degree of dependence (Fagertstrom). (R (coefficient de corrélation): 0,921; R² (coefficient de détermination): 0,848; DF: 6, F: 82.767, Pr > F: < 0,0001). Therefore, we can conclude with confidence that the three variables do bring a significant amount of information. The correlation is less for anxiety setting (R (coefficient of correlation): 0,759; R² (coefficient of determination): 0,576; DF: 6, F: 20,120, Pr > F: < 0,0001). The relation between depression and inflammatory parameters (CRP, ESR and Htc) was examined using the chi-square test for independence (Χ2-test). This test indicated that depression is clearly related to these inflammatory variables. Furthermore, the ANOVA test indicated that the hematological parameters vary depending the age of smoking initiation.
Conclusion: There is a close relationship between the level of smoking addiction and the emergence of depressive disorders. We suggest an elevated risk of mood disorders in subjects, having a very strong smoking addiction, who began smoking in adulthood and late adolescence versus childhood.