Table 3.

Tests of potential mediators of the association between depressive variables and later CRP

	1. Depression variable to mediator	2. Mediator to CRP	3. Depression variables to CRP	4. Sobel test
	β (SE)	β (SE)	β (SE)	p
Depressive sx.^a
Current nicotine use	0.17 (0.03)	0.04 (0.02)	0.007 (0.005)	0.02
BMI	0.17 (0.13)	0.02 (0.001)^§	0.007 (0.005)	0.18
Infections	0.33 (0.04)^§	0.06 (0.02)^‡	0.006 (0.005)	0.005
Medication Use	0.20 (0.05)^§	0.06 (0.01)^§	0.009 (0.005)	0.002
Other Prescribed Meds	0.07 (0.04)	0.04 (0.01)^‡	0.006 (0.005)	0.11
Depression status^b
Current nicotine use	0.39 (0.17)	0.04 (0.02)	0.05 (0.03)	0.09
BMI	0.36 (0.61)	0.02 (0.001)^§	0.04 (0.04)	0.55
Infections	0.92 (0.30)^‡	0.06 (0.02)^‡	0.05 (0.03)	0.03
Medication Use	0.82 (0.22)^§	0.06 (0.012)^§	0.04 (0.03)	0.004
Other Prescribed Meds	0.26 (0.23)	0.04 (0.01)^‡	0.05 (0.03)	0.28
Cumulative episodes^a
Current nicotine use	0.84 (0.17)	0.04 (0.02)	0.05 (0.02)^‡	0.02
BMI	2.48 (0.98)^‡	0.02 (0.001)^§	0.05(0.02)^‡	0.01
Infections	0.87 (0.16)^§	0.06 (0.02)^‡	0.04 (0.02)^‡	0.009
Medication Use	0.32 (0.23)	0.06 (0.01)^§	0.07 (0.01)^§	0.17
Other Prescribed Meds	0.20 (0.12)	0.04 (0.01)^‡	0.05 (0.02)^‡	0.12

Models were tested with either Poisson^a or logistic^b regression. Columns numbered 2 and 3 provide results from models in which both depression variable and potential mediator predicted current CRP status. Models adjusted for demographic covariates and prior CRP status. Sobel test assess significance of indirect pathway.

CRP=C-Reactive Protein; BMI = Body-mass index. Sx = symptoms; Dx = diagnoses.

^†

P≤0.05;

^‡

P≤0.01;

^§

P≤0.0001.