Association of gout and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveSeveral studies have shown that gout is associated with depression symptoms. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to explore the relationship between gout and depression. MethodsPublished articles were identified through a comprehensive review of PUBMED and EMBASE. Data from studies reporting relative risks, odds ratios, or hazard ratios comparing the risk of depression among participants who had gout versus those without gout were analyzed. A random-effect model was used to calculate pooled odds ratios and 95% confident intervals (CI). ResultsSeven studies, which included 411745 participants, aligned with our inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed an association between gout and depression, with an odds ratio of 1.19 (95%CI, 1.11, 1.29; I-2=60.2%). Subgroup-analysis adjusted (or not) by study type or study quality showed a statistically significant association of gout and depression in all subgroups. Sensitivity analysis by 1-study removed analysis, excluding articles of self-reported gout assessment or male-only, confirmed the robustness of our results. ConclusionOur meta-analysis demonstrates a positive association between gout and depression. Further large-scale prospective cohort studies are needed to investigate the causality between gout and depression.