Psychiatric Co-Morbidity and Quality of Life in Egyptian Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Background: Diabetes is a risk factor for depression, but little is known about anxiety and other psychiatric disorders and quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety in diabetic patients in our locality and to assess the quality of life in type 2 DM. Subjects & Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study and was carried out in outpatient clinics of specialized medical hospital, Mansoura university for a period of one year. From 217 diabetes mellitus subjects, only 202 patients were matched with 247 healthy people as a control group. All subjects were examined by using socioeconomic data, clinical data, and anthropometric examinations to assess body mass index and waist circumference. All patients were interviewed by using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) version 5, MINI, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scales. Laboratory investigation in the form of fasting and two-hour postprandial blood sugar (FBS & 2hpp) and HbA1C levels were done. Results: 18.3% were found to be major depressive disorder; and 2.5% panic disorder, 1% other phobia. Generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder were found in one patient, no patients were found to be diagnosed as Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or substance abuse. Although there was no statistically significant difference between subjects and control groups regarding height, there was statistically significant difference between weights, BMI, with more scores among DM group. Moreover our study showed that HbA1c, fasting blood sugar, two hours post prandial blood sugar were more among DM patients and control groups. Anxiety, depression, and poorer quality of life were found to be more prevalent among DM patients than control groups. Conclusion: DM is associated with depression anxiety disorder with poorer quality of life.