Results of a multicenter trial presented at the recently held European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden show a high prevalence of current depression among women younger than 60 years of age with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.¹

The cross-sectional study, which included 1027 participants with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, aged 18-94 years with an objective to investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, antidepressant use, obesity in these patients.  

The overall prevalence of depression in the study was 12%. An inverse association was observed between depression and age with odds ratio (OR) of 0.97. Women patients were at twice the risk of developing depression (OR 1.6). The likelihood of current depression increased 7-folds among those with a past history of depression (OR 7.1). Presence of anxiety increased the chances of depression 12 times with OR of 12.2. The OR for antidepressant use was 4.2; 2.3 for obese patients (BMI ≥40 kg/m²), 1.9 for smoking and 1.18 for physical inactivity.

The prevalence of current depression, as assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, was higher (31%) among younger women (≤59 years) compared to younger men (12%). They were also more likely to have a history of past depression (43% vs 19%, respectively), obesity (≥ 40 kg/m2) 18% vs 9%, respectively) and were smokers (26% vs 16%, respectively)

Comparison with data of the general population, younger women with type 2 diabetes had higher prevalence of current depression. Prevalence of antidepressant use was higher among all patients.

Patients with type 2 diabetes often have concurrent depression. These patients are at higher risk of adverse cardiovascular events and death. This study has identified an association between obesity, smoking and physical inactivity and depression in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was highest among younger women. Hence, it is important to screen newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, younger women in particular, for depression and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Reference

1. Melin EO, et al. Abstract #173. High burden of depression, anxiety and severe obesity in young women with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: reports from a Swedish multicentre study of 1027 patients. 58th EASD 2022. Diabetologia. 2022;65(Suppl 1):S90-S91.