Serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 levels correlate with depression severity in post-stroke patients

Figure 1 Correlation between serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 concentrations and 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores at 12 weeks. The scatterplot depicts the association between serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) concentrations and 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores at week 12 (reported r = 0.652, P < 0.001). Blue circles indicate the combination-therapy group (evolocumab plus atorvastatin), and orange triangles indicate the control group (atorvastatin alone). The fitted regression line illustrates the positive association between PCSK9 concentration and depression severity. Within-group correlations were r = 0.721 (P < 0.001) in the combination-therapy group and r = 0.556 (P < 0.001) in the control group; these exploratory subgroup analyses were not adjusted for multiple comparisons. PCSK9: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9; HAMD-17: 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.