Prevalence of depressive symptoms and diagnosed depression among subjects with longstanding type 1 diabetes and no serious chronic complications, hospitalized due to inadequate metabolic control of diabetes

Introduction. Depressive symptoms and depressive disorders are common comorbid problems in diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease requiring continuous insulin treatment. A demand for performing daily self-management tasks like blood glucose checks, insulin injections, following healthy diet and maintaining regular physical activity may result in diabetes-related distress and depression. That in turn may be a barrier in achieving therapeutic goals. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and diagnosed depressive disorder among subjects with long duration of type 1 diabetes and no chronic complications causing disability. Material and methods. 283 subjects (151 women), aged 43.0 +/- 10.7 years, type 1 diabetes duration 27.2 +/- 6.1, HbA(1c) 8.1 +/- 1.4% (65 +/- 8.2 mmol/mol) were included. Subjects diagnosed with chronic complications causing disability were excluded to avoid the presumable impact of irreversible disability condition on questionnaire answers. Participants were asked to complete the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess the incidence and intensity of depressive symptoms. The frequency of diagnosed depression disorder was assessed based on the patients' medical history and medical charts' review. Results. 42.0% of subjects exhibited any of depressive symptoms, women two times more frequently. 10.9% of patients had been diagnosed with depressive disorder previously. Among 45 subjects with moderate or severe depressive symptoms, only 17 had been diagnosed with depressive disorder. Conclusions. Depressive symptoms constitute a serious problem in chronic disease. The results of our study confirm the high prevalence of depressive symptoms among subjects with longstanding type 1 diabetes, although not frequently diagnosed.