Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence

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...

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Main Authors: Tanao Ji, Yue Lv, Jianan Yang, Xianping Diao, Jun Gu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07245-w
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author Tanao Ji
Yue Lv
Jianan Yang
Xianping Diao
Jun Gu
author_facet Tanao Ji
Yue Lv
Jianan Yang
Xianping Diao
Jun Gu
author_sort Tanao Ji
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj-art-9c1c10b6e990498a9bdf2bf5c2f6b83d2025-08-20T03:42:56ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-08-0125111310.1186/s12888-025-07245-wAssociation between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidenceTanao Ji0Yue Lv1Jianan Yang2Xianping Diao3Jun Gu4Department of General Practice, , Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong UniversityDepartment of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong UniversityDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong Key Laboratory of Respiratory MedicineDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong Key Laboratory of Respiratory MedicineDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong Key Laboratory of Respiratory MedicineAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07245-wDepressionAsthmaMendelian RandomizationObservational studyCausal relationship
spellingShingle Tanao Ji
Yue Lv
Jianan Yang
Xianping Diao
Jun Gu
Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
BMC Psychiatry
Depression
Asthma
Mendelian Randomization
Observational study
Causal relationship
title Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
title_full Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
title_fullStr Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
title_full_unstemmed Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
title_short Association between depression and asthma: insight from observational and genetic evidence
title_sort association between depression and asthma insight from observational and genetic evidence
topic Depression
Asthma
Mendelian Randomization
Observational study
Causal relationship
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07245-w
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