Differences in the cluster of depressive symptoms between subjects with type 2 diabetes and individuals with a major depressive disorder and without diabetes

Abstract

Background

Depressive disorder encompasses a wide spectrum of somatic and psychological symptoms. It is not known whether there are differences regarding the cluster of depressive symptomatology between subjects with depression with and without T2DM.

Purpose

To explore whether the cluster of depression that prevails among depressive subjects with T2DM differs from individuals with depression, but without T2DM.

Methods

87 T2DM patients with a pathological Beck Depression Inventory test (BDI) were compared with 50 age- and gender-matched individuals with a major depressive disorder. All 21 items expressed in the BDI were compared between the two groups.

Results

The score obtained after administering the BDI was comparable between patients with T2DM and significant depressive symptoms and the control group (18.8 ± 2.7 vs 18.9 ± 3.4; p = 0.9). Subjects with T2DM had higher scores compared with the control group in the following items: sadness (1.4 ± 0.9 vs 0.9 ± 0.9; p = 0.011), difficulty in concentration (1.3 ± 0.8 vs 0.8 ± 0.8; p = 0.01), indecisiveness (1.1 ± 0.8 vs 0.5 ± 0.9; p = 0.012), worries about their health (1.3 ± 0.9 vs 0.6 ± 0.9; p < 0.0001), fatigue (1.2 ± 0.6 vs 0.8 ± 0.7; p = 0.003) and loss of sexual appetite (2.7 ± 0.6 vs 1.2 ± 1.3; p = 0.0001). Suicidal ideation was significantly lower among subjects with T2DM compared with the control group (0.1 ± 0.3 vs 0.6 ± 0.8; p = 0.0001).

Conclusions

Subjects with T2DM and a positive screening for depression presented a different cluster of depression compared with depressed subjects without T2DM, with a predominance of somatic–biological depressive symptoms rather than psychological–cognitive cluster and negative emotions, such as suicidal ideation.

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