Serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 levels correlate with depression severity in post-stroke patients

Figure 1 Correlation between serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 concentrations and 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores at 12 weeks. The scatterplot depicts the association between serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) concentrations and 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores at week 12 (reported r = 0.652, P < 0.001). Blue circles indicate the combination-therapy group (evolocumab plus atorvastatin), and orange triangles indicate the control group (atorvastatin alone). The fitted regression line illustrates the positive association between PCSK9 concentration and depression severity. Within-group correlations were r = 0.721 (P < 0.001) in the combination-therapy group and r = 0.556 (P < 0.001) in the control group; these exploratory subgroup analyses were not adjusted for multiple comparisons. PCSK9: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9; HAMD-17: 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

Figure 2 Time course of serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 concentrations and depression scores. The dual-axis line graph shows serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) concentrations (left axis, ng/mL) and 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores (right axis) during the 12-week observation period. Solid lines indicate the combination-therapy group (evolocumab plus atorvastatin); dashed lines indicate the control group (atorvastatin alone). PCSK9 concentrations were lower in the combination-therapy group at weeks 4, 8, and 12. HAMD-17 scores differed significantly between groups at weeks 8 and 12, but not at week 4 (P = 0.076; Table 3). Parallel changes in PCSK9 concentrations and depression scores are descriptive and do not establish a causal mechanism. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean. PCSK9: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9; HAMD-17: 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.