A cross-sectional study of non-suicidal self-injury in adults with depressive disorder: Associations with inflammation and cardiac structure and function

Objective: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas inflammation is associated with both CVD and NSSI. However, few studies have investigated the correlation among NSSI, inflammation, and cardiac structure and function in CVD-free adult patients with depressive disorders. Methods: We recruited 88 CVD-free adult patients with depressive disorders and 37 healthy individuals. Patients were divided into NSSI (n = 21) and non-NSSI (n = 67) groups based on the presence or absence of NSSI. Healthy individuals comprised the controls (n = 37). Echocardiography was applied to assess cardiac structure and function, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured to indicate inflammation. Results: Compared with controls, the NSSI group exhibited a larger left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) and smaller left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) was larger in the NSSI group than in the non-NSSI group. The CRP levels were higher in the NSSI group than in the non-NSSI group; however, this difference was not statistically significant. NSSI was positively associated with LVESD (beta = 1.928, p = 0.006) and LVESV (beta = 5.368, p = 0.003), negatively correlated with LVEF (beta =-2.600, p = 0.029), and positively correlated with CRP levels (beta = 0.116, p = 0.004). CRP levels did not mediate the association between NSSI and cardiac structure and function. Conclusions: This study indicated that NSSI was associated with left ventricular structure, systolic function, and inflammation, but CRP did not mediate the relationship between NSSI and echocardiogram parameters.