As previously described, depressive symptoms were associated with clinicalcharacteristics associated with elevated plasma CRP levels, such as female sex andincreased adiposity.9,22 However, there is controversy iffemale sex may be associated with the process of low-grade inflammation as a resultof depression.24-26 While one study has found depressed white women tobe more susceptible to inflammation,24 other studies25,26 have found anassociation between depression and inflammation only in men. This evidence concerns the gene CRP and depressive symptom measurement.