Abstract
We aimed to analyse the correlation between depression and iron metabolism-related indicators and determine the efficacy of iron metabolism-related indicators in diagnosing depression in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). This cross-sectional study included patients undergoing regular follow-up for PD between September 2022 and March 2023. Patient demographics and iron metabolism-related indicators, including serum iron (SI) and ferritin levels and transferrin saturation (TSAT), were collected and analysed. The depression status was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The correlation between iron metabolism-related indicators and concomitant depression was assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent concomitant depression risk factors. The relevant risk factors’ diagnostic efficacies were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Of the 223 patients (121 [54.3%] males and 102 [45.7%] females), 88 (39.5%) had concomitant depression. SI levels (correlation coefficient [r]=-0.741, p < 0.05) and TSATs (r=-0.637, p < 0.05) were significantly correlated with depression and were identified as independent risk factors (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval [CI]: SI 0.434; 0.343–0.549; TSAT 0.782; 0.731–0.837). The ROC curve analysis revealed that SI levels and TSATs were good depression predictors (area under the curve, 95% CI: SI 0.938, 0.905–0.971; TSAT 0.876, 0.831–0.921). SI levels and TSATs were independent risk factors with high diagnostic efficacy for concomitant depression in patients undergoing PD. Thus, these patients’ psychological well-being should be simultaneously monitored.