Depression is associated with the metabolic syndrome among patients with type 1 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Both depression and the metabolic syndrome are frequently found among patients with type 1 diabetes, but their potential association has not yet been investigated. In this paper the relationship between depression and the metabolic syndrome among patients with type 1 diabetes was evaluated.


METHODS
A total of 1226 patients participating in the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study between 2003 and 2009 were included. Depression was defined as use of antidepressive medication or Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score ≥16. The metabolic syndrome was defined using the criteria established by the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention (IDF); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); American Heart Association (AHA); World Heart Federation (WHF); International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS); and International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO).


RESULTS
The metabolic syndrome was more frequently observed among depressed patients (57% versus 46%, P = 0.008). Of the individual components of the metabolic syndrome, waist, triglyceride, and HDL components were more frequently fulfilled among patients with depression. The BDI score increased with the number of components of the metabolic syndrome present. The BDI score was independently associated with the waist component (odds ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.05) when adjusted for gender, age, socio-economic status, smoking, nephropathy, and HbA(1c).


CONCLUSIONS
The metabolic syndrome is frequently found among depressed patients with type 1 diabetes. Whether this association influences the development of diabetic complications is not known.
Ahola
Aila J
AJ
Folkh&#x00E4;lsan Institute of Genetics, Folkh&#x00E4;lsan Research Center, Biomedicum Helsinki, Finland.
Thorn
Lena M
LM
Saraheimo
Markku
M
Forsblom
Carol
C
Groop
Per-Henrik
PH
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric