The association of lifetime psychiatric illness and increased retinopathy in patients with type I diabetes mellitus.
Forty-nine patients with Type I diabetes mellitus were assessed to examine the relationship between lifetime prevalence of psychiatric illness and retinopathy severity. The subjects with a history of psychiatric illness had significantly worse retinopathy than the subjects without psychiatric illness. Eighty-nine percent of the subjects with severe nonproliferative retinopathy or proliferative retinopathy had a history of psychiatric illness, predominantly affective illness. In addition, the subjects with a history of psychiatric illness had significantly higher current glycohemoglobin levels than those with no psychiatric history. This study's findings suggest that psychiatric illness may be a risk factor for development of retinopathy in Type I diabetic patients.
Cohen
S T
ST
Mental Health Department, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Welch
G
G
Jacobson
A M
AM
De Groot
M
M
Samson
J
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D015897:Comorbidity; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D012803:Sick Role