Table 4.
Characteristics of 63 Study Participants Available for PUFA Levels Analysis
| Depressed | Nondepressed | p | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | 21 (33%) | 42 (67%) | — |
| Gender (Male/Female, n) | 10/11 | 32/10 | .023a |
| Age, yrs (mean ± SD) | 49 ± 11 | 46 ± 11 | .3 |
| Education (yrs) | 8 ± 3 | 9 ± 4 | .2 |
| Marriage, n | |||
| Married | 16 | 33 | .8a |
| Single/divorced/widow or widower |
5 | 9 | .8a |
| Baseline BDI scores (mean ± SD) | 5 ± 7 | 3 ± 6 | .3 |
| DHA levels (%, mean ± SD) | 3.24 ± .09 | 3.38 ± .34 | .024 |
| EPA levels (%, mean ± SD) | .81 ± .04 | .82 ± .04 | .4 |
| AA levels (%, mean ± SD) | 5.55 ± .27 | 5.48 ± .26 | .3 |
The p values from independent-samples t test, unless χ2 test result.
PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acids; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; AA, arachidonic acid; BDI, Beck Depression Inventory.
a
χ2 test result.