The mediating and joint effects of depression in the association between cardiovascular health and frailty in middle-aged and elderly people: evidence from NHANES.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study investigates the correlation between Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a cardiovascular health (CVH) metric, and frailty in middle-aged and elderly individuals in the United States, also examining how depression mediates this relationship.

Methods

Participants from the NHANES 2005-2018 were analyzed for correlations between LE8 and frailty, along with the combined effects of LE8 and depression using multiple logistic regression. Dose-response relationships were assessed using restricted cubic splines (RCS), and mediation analysis explored depression's role. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted for result stability.

Results

The study included 8,982 participants, with 3,103 frailty events. A higher LE8 score was significantly associated with a r

SUBMITTER: Ma Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12037616 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature