Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Previous studies have presented controversial results about the association between irisin and depression. This research is designed to explore the circulating irisin levels in depressive patients.Methods From the earliest available records up to 18 July 2024, searches were conducted in d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chengyan Han, Zining Zhou, Jianxing Zhao, Zhouli Shao, Peng Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Annals of Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2521424
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850208126508204032
author Chengyan Han
Zining Zhou
Jianxing Zhao
Zhouli Shao
Peng Sun
author_facet Chengyan Han
Zining Zhou
Jianxing Zhao
Zhouli Shao
Peng Sun
author_sort Chengyan Han
collection DOAJ
description Background Previous studies have presented controversial results about the association between irisin and depression. This research is designed to explore the circulating irisin levels in depressive patients.Methods From the earliest available records up to 18 July 2024, searches were conducted in databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus, in order to identify the relevant articles assessing the correlation between irisin and depression in humans. Two reviewers screened reports, retrieved and collected data independently.Results Totally, eight articles with 2044 samples (733 depressive patients and 1311 non-depressive individuals) were involved. The results indicated lower circulating irisin levels in depression (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08 to 1.12, p = 0.02). Subgroup analysis revealed decreased irisin levels in depressive Asian patients (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.90, p = 0.03), sample size greater than 100 participants (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.48 to 1.93, p = 0.001), ELISA kits not from Phoenix Pharmaceuticals (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.90, p = 0.03), blood sample of serum (SMD = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.18 to 1.40, p = 0.01), studies with two genders (SMD = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.26 to 1.43, p = 0.005). Moreover, six studies computed the correlation factor (r) values between irisin levels and depressive scores, and the combined findings indicated an inverse correlation for these two variables (r = −0.47, 95% CI: −0.69 to −0.24, p < 0.001).Conclusions The results of this research demonstrated that irisin levels were decreased in depressive patients, and there was a negative correlation between irisin levels and depressive scores, indicating that the lower the circulating irisin level, the more severe the depressive symptoms.
format Article
id doaj-art-87383b4d6f4b49bd92d4cec57d495117
institution OA Journals
issn 0785-3890
1365-2060
language English
publishDate 2025-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Annals of Medicine
spelling doaj-art-87383b4d6f4b49bd92d4cec57d4951172025-08-20T02:10:19ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Medicine0785-38901365-20602025-12-0157110.1080/07853890.2025.2521424Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysisChengyan Han0Zining Zhou1Jianxing Zhao2Zhouli Shao3Peng Sun4School of Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaCenter for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation &amp; Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital,), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaCenter for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation &amp; Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital,), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaBackground Previous studies have presented controversial results about the association between irisin and depression. This research is designed to explore the circulating irisin levels in depressive patients.Methods From the earliest available records up to 18 July 2024, searches were conducted in databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus, in order to identify the relevant articles assessing the correlation between irisin and depression in humans. Two reviewers screened reports, retrieved and collected data independently.Results Totally, eight articles with 2044 samples (733 depressive patients and 1311 non-depressive individuals) were involved. The results indicated lower circulating irisin levels in depression (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08 to 1.12, p = 0.02). Subgroup analysis revealed decreased irisin levels in depressive Asian patients (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.90, p = 0.03), sample size greater than 100 participants (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.48 to 1.93, p = 0.001), ELISA kits not from Phoenix Pharmaceuticals (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.90, p = 0.03), blood sample of serum (SMD = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.18 to 1.40, p = 0.01), studies with two genders (SMD = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.26 to 1.43, p = 0.005). Moreover, six studies computed the correlation factor (r) values between irisin levels and depressive scores, and the combined findings indicated an inverse correlation for these two variables (r = −0.47, 95% CI: −0.69 to −0.24, p < 0.001).Conclusions The results of this research demonstrated that irisin levels were decreased in depressive patients, and there was a negative correlation between irisin levels and depressive scores, indicating that the lower the circulating irisin level, the more severe the depressive symptoms.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2521424Depressionirisinsystematic reviewmeta-analysis
spellingShingle Chengyan Han
Zining Zhou
Jianxing Zhao
Zhouli Shao
Peng Sun
Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Annals of Medicine
Depression
irisin
systematic review
meta-analysis
title Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_short Association between circulating irisin level and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_sort association between circulating irisin level and depression a systematic review and meta analysis
topic Depression
irisin
systematic review
meta-analysis
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2521424
work_keys_str_mv AT chengyanhan associationbetweencirculatingirisinlevelanddepressionasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT ziningzhou associationbetweencirculatingirisinlevelanddepressionasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT jianxingzhao associationbetweencirculatingirisinlevelanddepressionasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT zhoulishao associationbetweencirculatingirisinlevelanddepressionasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT pengsun associationbetweencirculatingirisinlevelanddepressionasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis