title: Association between depression and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in patients with Type 1 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have suggested an association between depression and subclinical atherosclerosis as measured by presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and increased intima-media thickening in non-clinical populations. Given the high prevalence of depression in patients with Type 1 diabetes and the diabetes-related risk factors for atherosclerosis, we hypothesized that this relation might also be of special relevance in Type 1 diabetic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intima-media thickness (IMT) and the presence of plaques in the carotid arteries were quantitatively assessed by high-resolution ultrasound in 175 adults (89 men, 86 women) with an established diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Having been treated for depression or current Beck Depression Inventory scores > 10 were considered to indicate depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men, the risk of plaque was higher in depressed subjects relative to non-depressed participants after adjustment for age, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, dyslipidaemia and body mass index [odds ratio (OR) 5.19; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29, 20.81]. Depressed women did not have an increased risk of plaque compared with non-depressed women (OR 0.97; 95% 95% CI 0.22, 4.34). We did not observe an association between depression and IMT, in men or in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In line with previous research, our findings suggest a link between depression and subclinical atherosclerosis in Type 1 diabetic men, but not in women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Greifswald/Stralsund, Gerrmany. spitzer@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnow
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krohn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wallaschofski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lüdemann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Freyberger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kerner
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Grabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*