title: Alexithymia impact on type 1 and type 2 diabetes: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper focus on studying the prevalence of alexithymia in diabetes type 1 and type 2 and its impact on diabetes's clinical and therapeutic characteristics. We also studied the relationship between alexithymia and emotional disorders in diabetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved a sample of 125 diabetic patients, among whom 50 had type 1 and 75 had type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with respectively 70 and 52 control subjects matched for age and sex. Alexithymia was assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, while emotional disorders were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Type 1 diabetics were more alexithymic than controls while type 2 diabetics had higher cognitive component score than control subjects. Alexithymic type 1 diabetics had a higher average of fasting blood sugar than non-alexithymic patients did (P=0.021). Moreover, with type 1 diabetes, erectile dysfunction was associated with difficulties in identifying feelings (P=0.012). We found that the presence of depression was a predictor of alexithymia in type 1 diabetes (β=1.78, P=0.04) and the presence of psychiatric history was indicative of the presence of alexithymia in type 2 diabetes (β=2.09, P=0.042).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the impact of alexithymia on diabetes types 1 and 2, the detection and treatment of alexithymic subjects are important for a better prognosis of diabetic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry A, University Medical Center Hédi Chaker, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mnif
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry A, University Medical Center Hédi Chaker, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia. Electronic address: d_rahma@live.com.
authors.forename: Rahma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Damak
authors.affiliation: Department of endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Hédi Chaker, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mnif
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Razi, 2010 Manouba, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouanes
authors.affiliation: Department of endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Hédi Chaker, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry A, University Medical Center Hédi Chaker, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abdelaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaoua
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry A, University Medical Center Hédi Chaker, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Jawaher
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Alexithymia; Alexithymie; Complications psychiatriques; Depression; Diabetes; Diabète; Dépression; Psychiatric complications