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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Sleep Disorders
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1434116

Sex-specific associations of serum cotinine levels with depressive symptoms and sleep disorders in American adults: NHANES 2007-2014

Provisionally accepted
Hongguang Yang Hongguang Yang 1Yao Liu Yao Liu 1*Zhenhe Huang Zhenhe Huang 2*Guifang Deng Guifang Deng 1*
  • 1 Department of Clinical Nutrition, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
  • 2 Geriatric Medicine Department, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Accumulating evidence have demonstrated that tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) causes damage to human mental issues. However, previous studies almost focus on the individual smoking exposure patterns and some inconsistent results are reported.Serum cotinine is a reliable and quantitative biomarker of TSE. This study aims to explore the association of serum cotinine with depression and sleep disorders and the potential gender differences.2007-2014 was used. Weighted multiple logistic regression methods, generalized additive models (GAM), and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used for association analyses. Moreover, gender-stratified analyses were conducted.Results: Of 12,599 individuals included in the final analysis, 1,295 had depression, 3245 had trouble sleeping and 1152 had diagnostic sleep disorders. After adjusting for potential covariates, linear relationship suggested higher serum cotinine levels were positively associated with risk of depression and sleep disorders, including selfreported trouble sleeping and diagnostic sleep disorders in the total sample and female participants, and serum cotinine levels were positively correlated with depression and trouble sleeping in male participants. Additionally, inverted L-shaped associations between serum cotinine and depression and sleep disorders were detected, and at the same cotinine level, females have a higher risk of experiencing depression and sleep disorders.Conclusions: In this study, higher serum cotinine increased the risk of depression and sleep disorders and there was stronger association in females than males. These findings provided novel evidence about how TSE affected the mental condition of the general US population.

    Keywords: Tobacco smoke exposure, Serum cotinine, Human mental health, Depression, Sleep Disorders, gender differences

    Received: 17 May 2024; Accepted: 25 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yang, Liu, Huang and Deng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yao Liu, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
    Zhenhe Huang, Geriatric Medicine Department, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
    Guifang Deng, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.