Venous blood samples were taking from all the 24 depressed and 66 randomly selected non-depressed individuals 6 to 8 weeks after delivery at 9–9:30 h. Blood samples were taken after 15-min rest. The samples were added to the EDTA-containing chilled plastic tubes. Then they were immediately kept at 4 °C within 30 min, and plasma separation was carried out. The samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min at 4 °C. The produced plasma was frozen at a temperature of − 80 °C until analysis. After transferring to the Endocrinology and Metabolism Laboratories of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran/Iran, the plasma vasopressin level was measured by the ELISA method using Human Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH) ELISA kit (ZellBio GmbH, Ulm Germany) with a sensitivity of 0.5 ng/ml. In our study, plasma osmolality was not measured.
The relationship between plasma vasopressin levels and the EPDS score was assessed. Then the participating mothers were divided into depressed and non-depressed groups according to the EPDS score and confirmation by psychiatrist. Next, the mean plasma AVP level was compared between the two groups. Finally, a binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to further understand the association of the independent variables, including AVP and clinical-anamnestic factors with PPD. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used.
The relationship between plasma vasopressin levels and the EPDS score was assessed. Then the participating mothers were divided into depressed and non-depressed groups according to the EPDS score and confirmation by psychiatrist. Next, the mean plasma AVP level was compared between the two groups. Finally, a binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to further understand the association of the independent variables, including AVP and clinical-anamnestic factors with PPD. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used.
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