Association between depression and the risk for fracture: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Association of depressive symptoms with incident fractures: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation (JPHC-NEXT)

This 5-year longitudinal study investigated the relationship between depressive symptoms and fracture risk in a large Japanese cohort. Depressive symptoms were a significant risk factor for hip fractures in women.

PURPOSE

A relationship between depressive symptoms and fractures has not been clearly demonstrated. We aimed to investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms and 5-year fracture risk in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation.

METHODS

From 2011 to 2016, 114,092 participants were enrolled, and a follow-up survey was conducted 5 years later. We analyzed 30,552 men and 38,063 women aged 40-74 years who had no past fractures at baseline. Presence of depressive symptoms was defined as a modified 11-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale score of 8 or higher, a history of depression, or use of antidepressants. Subjects were asked to report vertebral, upper limb, and/or hip fractures, except for traffic or work accidents, that occurred during the follow-up period. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for fracture were analyzed via logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between depressive symptoms and fracture.

RESULTS

Women with depressive symptoms demonstrated a high AOR for hip fractures (AOR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.30 - 5.92); this result was consistent in post menopause women. In men, this association was not found for any age group or any type of fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms in women may increase the risk of hip fractures. Further studies are required to explore this relationship in more detail.

Health Perceptions, Multimorbidity, and New Fractures and Mortality Among Patients With a Fracture

Importance

A high proportion of patients who sustain a fracture have multimorbidity. However, the association of multimorbidity with postfracture adverse outcomes, such as subsequent fractures and premature mortality, has not been widely explored.

Objective

To examine the association of multimorbidity and self-rated health with subsequent fractures and mortality after fracture.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective cohort study included participants from New South Wales, Australia, in the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study (n = 267 357). Participants were recruited from July 2005 to December 2009 and followed up from the date of the incident fracture until subsequent fracture, death, or the end of the study (April 2017), whichever occurred first, with questionnaire data linked to hospital admission and medication records. Data analysis was reported between March and September 2023.

Exposures

Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score and self-rated health (SRH).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcomes were subsequent fracture or mortality after an incident fracture. Associations between SRH measures and subsequent fracture and mortality were also assessed. All analyses were stratified by sex given the different fracture and mortality risk profiles of females and males.

Results

Of 25 280 adults who sustained incident fractures, 16 191 (64%) were female (mean [SD] age, 74 [12] years) and 9089 (36%) were male (mean [SD] age, 74 [13] years). During a median follow-up time of 2.8 years (IQR, 1.1-5.2 years), 2540 females (16%) and 1135 males (12%) sustained a subsequent fracture and 2281 females (14%) and 2140 males (24%) died without a subsequent fracture. Compared with a CCI score of less than 2, those with a CCI score of 2 to 3 had an increased risk of subsequent fracture (females: hazard ratio [HR], 1.16 [95% CI, 1.05-1.27]; males: HR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.09-1.43]) and mortality (females: HR, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.99-2.40]; males: HR, 1.89 [95% CI, 1.71-2.09]). Those with a CCI score of 4 or greater had greater risks of subsequent fracture (females: HR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.12-1.58]; males: HR, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.21-1.81]) and mortality (females: HR, 4.48 [95% CI, 3.97-5.06]; males: HR, 3.82 [95% CI 3.41-4.29]). Self-rated health was also significantly associated with subsequent fracture and mortality. Those reporting the poorest health and quality of life had the highest subsequent fracture risks, and their mortality risks were even higher.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, both CCI and SRH measures were associated with increased risk of subsequent fractures and mortality after fracture, underscoring the importance of managing the care of patients with comorbidities who sustain a fracture.

The Efficacy and Tolerability of Continuation and Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression: A Systematic Review of Randomized and Observational Studies

ABSTRACT

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for severe and treatment-resistant depression, but relapse rates remain high despite maintenance pharmacotherapy. Continuation or maintenance ECT (C/M-ECT) offers the potential to prevent relapses in the most unwell patients, but there remains disagreement among guidelines regarding its efficacy and tolerability. This review aims to summarize and assess the current evidence for the efficacy and tolerability of continuation and maintenance ECT for depression, including data from randomized and observational studies, which included an appropriate control group. Twenty studies were found meeting inclusion criteria. There was evidence from 14 studies suggesting that relapse rates are reduced in those receiving C/M-ECT. There was evidence from 6 studies suggesting that C/M-ECT had no effect on global cognitive function. Detailed neuropsychological testing was limited, but within studies that assessed specific cognitive domains, there was not consistent evidence for deficits in C/M-ECT compared with the control group. The certainty of evidence across outcomes was low or very low because of inclusion of observational studies, heterogeneity of study design, and patient populations. The findings add further weight to evidence suggesting that C/M-ECT is a viable treatment option to prevent relapse in severe depression and provides clinicians with further evidence for the benefits and risks of C/M-ECT when discussing treatment options with patients. Future research should focus on randomized or well-designed prospective studies with sufficient follow-up to determine longer-term outcomes, while including a standardized, detailed neurocognitive battery to assess potential adverse effects.

Association between changes in depressive symptoms and hip fracture among middle-aged and older Chinese individuals: a prospective cohort study

Background

Although studies have shown that depressive symptoms are associated with an increased risk of hip fracture (HF). Depressive symptoms are dynamic, and it is unclear whether HF risk persists if depressive symptoms remit. This study aims to examine the associations between changes in depressive symptoms and HF risk.

Methods

Data were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study from 2011 to 2018. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studied Depression scale (cutoff ≥ 10). Changes in depressive symptoms were classified into four groups by two successive surveys (stable low/no, recent-onset, recently remitted, and stable high depressive symptoms). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to assess whether changes in depressive symptoms were associated with HF incidents reported through 2018, adjusting for age, sex, educational level, marital status and other potential confounding factors.

Results

In total, 8574 participants were included, 265 (3.1%) of whom had reported HF incidents in the subsequent 5-year period. Participants with recent-onset (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.40–2.77) or stable high (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.53–3.02) symptoms had a higher risk of HF than those with stable low/no depressive symptoms, whereas those with improved depressive symptoms (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.89–1.82) had no elevation in HF risk.

Conclusion

Stable high and recent-onset depressive symptoms were associated with increased HF risk, and no elevated HF risk was observed if symptoms remitted, suggesting that strategies to reduce depressive symptoms may be beneficial for HF prevention.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03484-8.

Potential of Health Insurance Claims Data to Predict Fractures in Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

Purpose

In older adults, fractures are associated with mortality, disability, loss of independence and high costs. Knowledge on their predictors can help to identify persons at high risk who may benefit from measures to prevent fractures. We aimed to assess the potential of German claims data to predict fractures in older adults.

Patients and Methods

Using the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (short GePaRD; claims data from ~20% of the German population), we included persons aged ≥65 years with at least one year of continuous insurance coverage and no fractures prior to January 1, 2017 (baseline). We randomly divided the study population into a training (80%) and a test sample (20%) and used logistic regression and random forest models to predict the risk of fractures within one year after baseline based on different combinations of potential predictors.

Results

Among 2,997,872 persons (56% female), the incidence per 10,000 person years of any fracture in women increased from 133 in age group 65–74 years (men: 71) to 583 in age group 85+ (men: 332). The maximum predictive performance as measured by the area under the curve (AUC) across models was 0.63 in men and 0.60 in women and was achieved by combining information on drugs and morbidities. AUCs were lowest in age group 85+.

Conclusion

Our study showed that the performance of models using German claims data to predict the risk of fractures in older adults is moderate. Given that the models used data readily available to health insurance providers in Germany, it may still be worthwhile to explore the cost–benefit ratio of interventions aiming to reduce the risk of fractures based on such prediction models in certain risk groups.

The Association between New-Onset Depressive Symptoms and Participating in Medical Check-Ups among Elderly Individuals

The association between adherence to medical check-ups and new-onset depressive symptoms, after adjusting for comprehensive risk factors such as social characteristics, remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the association between mental health and participating in medical check-ups. The survey data of participants aged 60 to 89 were recruited from the seventh Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging. The primary outcome was new-onset depressive symptoms within 2 years measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Participating in medical check-ups was defined as undergoing biennial medical check-ups. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with consideration of a 2-year time lag. Among 4255 participants, the prevalence of new-onset depressive symptoms was 7.36% (n = 313). The prevalence of non-participation in medical check-ups was 11.96% (n = 509). The adjusted OR of new-onset depressive symptoms by non-participation in medical check-ups was 1.65 [95% CI 1.22-2.24; p = 0.001] after adjusting for various demographic, behavioral, occupational, and social participation characteristics. Our findings demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between participation in medical check-ups and new-onset depressive symptoms. It is necessary to monitor and manage depressive symptoms in vulnerable elderly individuals who do not participate in medical check-ups.

Antidepressants and Vertebral and Hip Risk Fracture: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although antidepressant drugs appear to play an active role in increasing fracture risk, their weight is still unclear. We conducted a PRISMA compliant systematic review and meta-analysis through PubMed/Scopus/Cochrane libraries and registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42021254006) to investigate the relationship between antidepressant drugs categories, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and TCAs, and the risk of hip and vertebral fractures. After screening 3122 items, we finally found 26 papers for qualitative analysis and 11 for quantitative synthesis. A total of 15,209,542 adult and elderly patients were identified, with a mean follow-up of 51 months and a major prevalence of women. We identified results largely for SSRIs, with only a small amount of data for SNRIs, TCAs, and NaSSA. No data were found among the most recent categories of antidepressants, such as vortioxetine and esketamine. All included studies reported hip fractures, while three of them also included vertebral fractures. Overall, we observed a significant effect of SSRIs on fracture risk with a mean effect of 0.98 (95% CI = 0.75–1.20). This meta-analysis reveals that the use of SSRIs increases the risk of fractures. Clinicians’ awareness in antidepressant prescription should optimize their potential while reducing this risk.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients Receiving Antidepressant Medications

Тhis study aimed at exploring vitamin D levels in treated depressive patients in comparison to healthy individuals. The cross-sectional study included 20 ambulatory and inpatients with depressive episodes taking antidepressants and 30 healthy individuals. The serum concentration of 25(OH)D from collected blood samples was determined using biochemical analyzers. Serum 25(OH)D levels (ng/mL) in patients were significantly lower (the mean 13.1, standard deviation 7.3, median 11.4, minimal 3.8, maximal 35.9) then in control subjects (19.4, 9.1, 15.8, 7.6, 43.6) (p=0.004). Additional targeted research is needed because some lifestyle and dietary habits which are known to influence vitamin D status may confound observed effects.

Prospective association between depressive symptoms and hip fracture and fall among middle-aged and older Chinese individuals

BACKGROUND

The effect of depressive symptoms on hip fracture (HF) and falls among the Chinese population is unclear. This study aims to examine the prospective association between depressive symptoms and HF as well as fall accidents in a nationally representative Chinese population.

METHODS

We used data from 10,596 participants in the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (from 2011 to 2018) who were aged ≥45 years and had no HFs at baseline. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studied Depression scale (cutoff for distinguishing high versus low at ≥12). Logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and physical comorbidities were performed.

RESULTS

For the analysis of baseline depressive symptoms and HF, 399 (3.8%) participants reported HF accidents in the following 7-year period. Individuals with elevated depressive symptoms at baseline experienced a markedly higher HF risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.67) than those without elevated depressive symptoms, after adjusting for a wide range of potential confounders. For the analysis of baseline depressive symptoms and falls, 3974 (37.5%) experienced fall accidents during the follow-up. The presence of elevated depressive symptoms was independently associated with an increased risk of fall events (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.10-1.33). These associations were consistent across multiple characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, elevated depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk of HF and falls, which may have considerable clinical and preventive implications.

NSAID use and unnatural deaths after cancer diagnosis: a nationwide cohort study in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Cancer patients experience increased risk of death from accident and suicide. Cognitive impairment induced by cancer-related inflammation and stress-related psychiatric symptoms may be underlying mechanisms. We therefore studied the association between use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and risk of these outcomes.

METHODS

Following a cohort of 388,443 cancer patients diagnosed between October 2005 and December 2014 in Sweden, we ascertained dispense of aspirin or non-aspirin NSAIDs from 3 months before cancer diagnosis onward and defined the on-medication period as from date of drug dispense until the prescribed dosage was consumed. Follow-up time outside medicated periods and time from unexposed patients were defined as off-medication periods. We used Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of death due to suicide or accident, by comparing the on-medication periods with off-medication periods.

RESULTS

In total, 29.7% of the cancer patients had low-dose aspirin dispensed and 29.1% had non-aspirin NSAIDs dispensed. Patients with aspirin use were more likely to be male than patients without aspirin use. Compared with off-medication periods, there was a 22% lower risk of accidental death (N = 651; HR 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70 to 0.87) during on-medication periods with aspirin. The use of aspirin was not associated with risk of suicide (N = 59; HR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.66 to 1.39). No association was noted between use of non-aspirin NSAIDs and the risk of suicide (N = 13; HR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.42 to 2.18) or accidental death (N = 59; HR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Intake of low-dose aspirin after cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of unnatural deaths among cancer patients.

Major depressive disorder, when under treatment, may not affect functional outcomes in patients with tibial plateau fractures

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to determine if treated psychological depression is associated with poorer functional outcomes in patients who sustain tibial plateau fractures.

METHODS

Patients with a tibia plateau fracture were prospectively followed. Functional status was assessed using the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) at baseline (pre-injury), 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post injury. Clinical outcomes were recorded at each follow up visit and radiographic outcomes were obtained from follow up radiographs. Records were reviewed to identify patients who were being treated for major depressive disorder (MDD). SMFA scores and clinical outcomes were compared between the depression and no depression cohorts.

RESULTS

420 patients were treated for a tibial plateau fracture and the mean age was 50.83 ± 15.60 years. Forty-two (10%) patients with 42 fractures were being treated for MDD at the time of their fracture. Patients with MDD were older (p = 0.05) and were more likely female (p < 0.01). At baseline, the clinical depression cohort had worse Total SMFA scores compared to the non-depressed cohort (5.90 ± 14.41 vs. 2.69 ± 8.35, p < 0.01). There were no differences in total SMFA score or any SMFA subscores at 3, 6, and 12 months. The incidence of wound complications, reoperations, and radiographic outcomes also did not differ between the cohorts.

CONCLUSION

Despite patients with MDD reporting higher SMFA (poorer) scores at baseline, MDD was not associated with worse injuries, diminished clinical or poorer functional outcomes following tibial plateau fractures.

Situational risk factors for fall-related vertebral fractures in older men and women

Situational factors might help explain why most vertebral fractures occur in older people without a previous osteoporosis diagnosis. After adjusting for predisposing risk factors, the activity before the fall, type of fall, and falling direction remained as strong determinants of fall-related vertebral fractures in older men and women.

INTRODUCTION

A matched case-control study was conducted to investigate the effects of situational factors, in addition to predisposing factors, on clinical vertebral fractures in older men and women in Taiwan.

METHODS

Cases were community-dwelling individuals aged ≥ 65 years who visited emergency departments (EDs) of two university-affiliated hospitals due to a fall and had a primary diagnosis of a vertebral fracture during a 1-year period in 2017. Five control patients per case, matched by the time of falling, gender, and age, who sought care in the same ED due to a fall resulting in a soft tissue injury were selected. A total of 64 men (age range: 65 ~ 99 years) and 194 women (age range: 65 ~ 100 years), diagnosed with a vertebral fracture, participated in the study.

RESULTS

Multivariable logistic models were conducted separately for men and women. Results suggested that the following factors were significantly associated with an increased risk of vertebral fractures in men: a low educational level (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.95; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02 ~ 3.71), asthma (OR = 2.96; 95% CI, 1.35 ~ 6.92), depression (OR = 4.31; 95% CI, 1.03 ~ 17.5), toileting (OR = 2.30; 95% CI, 1.04 ~ 4.94), slipping (OR = 5.27; 95% CI, 1.80 ~ 15.4), stepping down (OR = 3.99; 95% CI, 1.40 ~ 11.4), sudden leg weakness (OR = 3.73; 95% CI, 1.13 ~ 12.4), and falling backwards (OR = 3.78; 95% CI, 1.83 ~ 7.80); and in women: a fracture history (OR = 2.00; 95% CI, 1.07 ~ 3.76), osteoporosis (OR = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.15 ~ 3.49), getting in/out of the bed/chair (OR = 1.90; 95% CI, 1.07 ~ 3.39), stepping down (OR = 2.10; 95% CI, 1.17 ~ 3.77), and falling backwards (OR = 4.00; 95% CI, 2.39 ~ 6.68) and sideways (OR = 2.61; 95% CI, 1.38 ~ 4.96).

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of predisposing and situational risk factors may display a more comprehensive risk profile for the occurrence of VFs, and thus, interventions that add both types of risk factors may result in greater risk reduction of VFs, although those specifically targeted at situational risk factors during falls are limited and their effectiveness and efficiency remained to be explored.

Osteoarthritis and the incidence of fracture in the United Kingdom: a retrospective cohort study of 258,696 patients

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between osteoarthritis and the incidence of fracture in men and women aged ≥18 years followed in general practices in the United Kingdom.

METHODS

This study included patients aged ≥18 years who had received an initial diagnosis of osteoarthritis in one of 256 general practices in the United Kingdom between January 1997 and December 2016 (index date). Patients without osteoarthritis were matched (1:1) to those with osteoarthritis by sex, age, index year, diabetes, dementia, corticosteroid therapy, and practice. For patients without osteoarthritis, the index date was a randomly selected visit date between 1997 and 2016. The association between osteoarthritis and the incidence of fracture was investigated using Kaplan-Meier curves and conditional Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

This retrospective cohort study included 129,348 patients with osteoarthritis and 129,348 patients without osteoarthritis [60.1% women; mean (standard deviation) age 63.7 (14.0) years]. After 10 years of follow-up, 12.1% of individuals with osteoarthritis and 7.7% of those without osteoarthritis had suffered at least one fracture (log-rank P-value<0.001). There was a positive and significant association between osteoarthritis and fracture in the overall sample [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.50-1.60]. These findings were corroborated in all sex, age, and osteoarthritis joint site subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Intervention is urgently needed to reduce the risk of fracture in adults with osteoarthritis, and further research is warranted in order to gain more of an insight into the mediators involved in the relationship between osteoarthritis and fracture.

[Study of the psycho-emotional disorders' severity in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures and factors affecting them]

There are convincing data on the association of psycho-emotional disorders with the degree of bone mineral density (BMD) loss and the risk of fractures on the basis of osteoporosis (OP) but the nature of the causal relationship has not yet been clearly established. The study of this issue is important to substantiate the need and nature of psychological correction within the framework of comprehensive rehabilitation programs in patients with osteoporotic fractures.

OBJECTIVE

Study of the severity of symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients who have suffered compression fractures of the vertebrae (VF) of osteoporotic genesis who entered the II stage of medical rehabilitation, as well as the contribution to the development of psycho-emotional age disorders, the severity of OP, pain syndrome and the use of orthotics.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study sample consisted of 120 women 50 to 80 years old with an established diagnosis of OP based on the results of bone densitometry. The main group included 60 patients with OP complicated by at least one VF. The control group included 60 patients with OP without a history of osteoporotic fractures comparable in age, body mass index and BMD in the spine with the main group. The complex of examination included the collection of complaints, anamnesis of OP, previous fractures, assessment of pain syndrome according to VAS, BMD study and verification of VF by X-ray methods. To assess the level of depression (DL) we used the Tsung depression scale modified by T.I. Balashova, situational (SA) and personal anxiety (PA) - Spielberger-Khanin questionnaire.

RESULTS

In the main group in comparison with the control group the proportion of patients without symptoms of depression was lower (66.7 and 88.3%, respectively; p=0.042), as well as the frequency of detection of high degree of SA was higher (85.0 and 73.4%, respectively; p=0.039). In patients with VF it was higher than in the control, DL - 46.0 [42.0; 54.5] (27-70) and 43.0 [38.0; 47.5] (25-65) points, respectively (p=0.0009), as well as the SA degree - 61.5 [54.0; 71.0] (20-75) and 52.5 [43.5; 64.0] (20-68) points, respectively (p=0.0006). Statistically significant direct correlation dependences of DL on age (r=0.317; p=0.00042), the duration of the postmenopausal period (r=0.325; p=0.0003), the number of VFs (g= -0.245; p=0.00013) were established. Moreover, the intensity of pain syndrome (g= -0.234; p=0.00034), as well as feedbacks of this indicator with BMD in the spine (r= -0.342; p=0.00017) and the duration of the use of thoracolumbar orthoses (r = -0.504; p = 0.00016). There were direct dependence of the SA degree on age (r=0.281; p=0.0019) and the intensity of pain syndrome (g=0.258; p=0.0044). Negative correlation of SA with body weight (r= -0.183; p=0.045), BMD in the spine (r= -0.207; p=0.026), duration of orthosis application (r= -0.327; p=0.0095) and the amount of VF in the lumbar spine (g= -0.214; p=0.044) were detected. There was a significant correlation between the degree of PA and BMD in the lumbar vertebrae (r= -0.18; p=0.046) and the intensity of pain syndrome (g=0.137; p=0.039).

CONCLUSION

The results obtained indicate the need for psychological correction in the framework of the complex rehabilitation of women who underwent VF based on OP due to increased DL and SA especially in older age groups.

Depression and risk of hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Recently published studies on the association between depression and hip fracture (HF) are inconsistent. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis with the main aim to clarify the association between depression and HF, and also to identify possible susceptible groups. Relevant literature published until February 2019 was obtained and screened according to established inclusion criteria. Two researchers independently processed quality assessment and data extraction prior to the meta-analysis. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95%CI (confidence intervals) were calculated. To explore the sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analyses were performed based on study design, study region, NOS scores, follow-up duration, diagnostic criteria, sex, national income level, and adjustments (bone mineral density (BMD), antidepressant, calcium intake, and smoking). Ten studies with 13 estimates, involving 375,438 participants and 4576 HFs, were included. It was found that patients with depression had a higher risk of HF than non-depressed patients (HR = 1.21; 95%CI 1.11-1.31). Sensitivity analysis results show that the association is relatively stable. The studies that were not adjusted for confounders (e.g., antidepressant, BMD, calcium intake, and smoking) had higher overall HR compared to the studies that adjusted for the corresponding confounding factors. HFs are more likely to occur in European and male depression patients. This meta-analysis provided evidence of a modest positive association between depression and the risk of HFs, and the association is stronger in European and male patients. Implementation of practical measures to prevent and treat depression is of great public health significance.