title: [The degree of alexithymia in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and its association with medical and demographic parameters].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the degree of alexithymia (an inability to understand and to express emotions verbally) and its relationship to medical and demographic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) versus control group individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  265 patients with type 2 DM and 65 gender- and age-matched control individuals were examined. The degree of alexithymia was rated by the 26-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26). Survey, anthropometry, and laboratory tests were made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carbohydrate metabolism was decompensated in the majority of the patients with DM; its complications were detected in most cases. The patients with type 2 DM compared with the controls had higher alexithymia levels; significant alexithymia was more frequently recorded (47.2% versus 21.5%; p < 0.001). In patients with type 2 DM, the degree of alexithymia correlated positively with depression and DM complications (with depression in the control group) and negatively with higher education and compensated carbohydrate metabolism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher alexithymia in the patients with type 2 DM was associated with decompensated carbohydrate metabolism and the presence of complications.
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Sapozhnikova
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Tarlovskaia
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Madianov
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Vedenskaia
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales