| ABSTRACT
Background: There are conflicting findings about relationship between depression and
anger with immunological parameters. Objective: To investigate the relationship
between anger patterns and immune system in depressed patients. Methods: Thirty-five
patients with major depressive disorder were selected according to DSM-IV criteria.
The Hamilton Depression Scale and Spielberger Anger questionnaires were used to
determine severity of depression and 'anger expression pattern', respectively. The
control group without a previous history of mental illness was also selected. In the
group of patients with moderate depression, serum IgA levels and NK cell percentage
were measured. Results: Mean differences of all types of 'anger expression pattern',
including; 'state-trait anger', 'anger expression out', 'anger expression in', 'anger
control out' and 'anger control in', between study and control groups, were statistically
significant (p<0.05). Difference in mean serum levels of IgA in either group was not
significant (p=0.9), but the mean difference was significant in terms of NK-cell
percentage in both groups (p=0.04). There was no significant relationship between IgA
levels and percentage of NK-cell with all types of 'anger expression pattern' in both
groups. Only in the control group, IgA had significant correlation with Anger control
out (p=0.04). Conclusion: Moderately depressed patients versus control group had
higher Spielberger scores in all types of anger expression pattern except anger controlout
and anger control-in. We found no evidence supporting the relationship between'
anger expression pattern' and IgA levels and NK cell percentage; however, it seems that
depression itself causes reduced number of NK cells and increased IgA levels. |