Almost half of middle-aged and older adults with metabolic syndrome in China are likely to develop depression, and a new machine learning-based predictive tool could help identify those most at risk, a study has found. BMC Psychiatry.
“Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a range of metabolic disorders that increase cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and mortality, and is strongly associated with depression,” the study authors explained. “Additionally, numerous studies have shown that metabolic syndrome (hypertension, diabetes, [cardiovascular disease]), the presence of depression is associated with significantly increased mortality. Therefore, the development of predictive models for depression is of particular importance for patients with depression. [metabolic syndrome]”
Researchers analyzed 2011 (baseline) and 2015 data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study to develop and validate a machine learning model to predict depression in adults with metabolic syndrome. After excluding variables with >20% missing data, 38 demographic, lifestyle, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were retained for use in the study.
