title: Effects of comorbid conditions on health-related quality of life in youth with Type 2 diabetes: the TODAY clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore associations between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and comorbidities in youth with Type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 699 youth in the TODAY study, 685 (98%) had baseline HRQOL data, 649 (93%) at 6 months and 583 (83%) at 24 months. Comorbidities were defined by sustained abnormal values and treatment regimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 22.2% of participants demonstrated impaired HRQOL. Only depressive symptoms distinguished those with versus without impaired HRQOL and were significantly related to later impaired HRQOL (p < 0.0001). A significant correspondence between impaired HRQOL and number of comorbidities (p = 0.0003) was noted, but was driven by the presence of depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results emphasize the need for evaluation of depressive symptoms. Other comorbidities did not have a significant impact on HRQOL in this cohort.
authors.affiliation: 50 Staniford St, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walders-Abramson
authors.affiliation: George Washington University Biostatistics Center, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 750, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirst
authors.affiliation: Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keady
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital/Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10524 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ievers-Landis
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles & Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Patrice M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Yasuda
keywords: health-related quality of life; hyperlipidemia; hypertension; microalbuminuria; pediatric Type 2 diabetes