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Low CALLY Index Predicted Mortality in Adults With Depression Symptoms

MHD featured image for CALLY index, depressive symptoms, and mortality risk.

A 2026 NHANES mortality analysis found that adults with PHQ-9 depressive symptoms had lower long-term all-cause mortality when their CALLY index was higher: in the fully adjusted model, each 1-unit higher log-CALLY value carried a hazard ratio of 0.59, with a 95% confidence interval from 0.51 to 0.68.1 The useful interpretation is prognostic, not therapeutic: …

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High Cytokines Predicted Weaker Placebo Response in Cancer Symptom Trial

MHD featured image for cytokine biomarkers and placebo response in cancer symptom trials.

A 2026 exploratory analysis of the ABCD cancer dyspnea trial found that higher baseline cytokines predicted less placebo symptom improvement than lower baseline cytokines across 33 of 40 cytokine-symptom combinations at day 7 and 29 of 40 at day 14.1 The signal is not ready for clinical prediction, but it sharpens a trial-design problem: patients …

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Twin Study Finds No Broad Cytokine Link to Depression or Alcohol Use Disorder

Photoreal illustration of cytokine molecules and brain imagery, conveying inflammation-depression hypothesis under scrutiny.

The broad cytokine story failed its most direct community test: in 972 adults, depression, alcohol use, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) were not associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) or a pre-registered pro-inflammatory cytokine index. The only multiple-testing-corrected cytokine hits ran opposite the hypothesis — AUD was linked to lower IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 — …

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Peripheral Inflammatory Biomarkers vs. Suicide Risk in Major Depression (2024 Study)

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is not just a mental health concern; it’s a complex interplay of psychological, environmental, and biological factors, where the most tragic outcome can be suicide. Recent research has unveiled a potential link between the immune system’s inflammatory response and the increased risk of suicide among those suffering from MDD. By examining …

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Sleep Disorders vs. Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) in the U.S. Population (2023 Study)

Sleep and inflammation have long been topics of scientific inquiry, with a growing body of evidence underscoring their intricate relationship. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), a novel marker based on leukocyte parameters, has emerged as a significant indicator of systemic inflammation. A recent study explored the association between sleep-related disorders and SII, revealing intriguing connections …

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