INTRODUCTION

Diabetes is a public health problem. Its global prevalence was 2.8% in 2000 and it will reach 4.4% in 2030 to be 366 million diabetics. In Morocco, this true "epidemic" affects 6.6% of the population. Many epidemiologic studies have shown that patients with diabetes are more susceptible to depression. Diabetes and depression align in a non-accidental way and complicate one another.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We report a cross-sectional study conducted in association with the endocrinology department of the Mohammed VI university hospital during the period spread between April and September 2006. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive disorders in patients with diabetes and to describe their sociodemographic and clinical profile. The study included 187 patients. The scales used were the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and Hamilton's depression. Sociodemographics and diabetic characteristics were evaluated by self-questionnaire.

RESULTS

The average age of our patients was 53±14 years and the percentage of females was high: 71.2%. Diabetes type 2 was the most representative (85.6%), diabetes type 1 (11.8%) and gestational diabetes (2.7%). Half of diabetics were treated with an association of healthy dietary measures (MHD) and oral anti-diabetics; 31.6% were under MHD and insulin therapy; 33.2% of patients had acute complications and 43.5% had degenerative complications. Only 11 patients (5.9%) had antecedents of depression. The prevalence of major depressive episode was 41.2%; 27.8% of patients suffered from dysthymia and 21.9% from double depression. Hamilton's depression scale indicates that all depressed patients had mild depression (total of 17 items from 8 to 17). Major depressive episode and dysthymia were frequent in out patients. Dysthymia was predominant in diabetic patients in the 46 to 55 years age group, never been schooled and without any comorbidity. The vast majority of patients with EDM had type 2 diabetes with 89.6%, 7.8% type 1 diabetes and 2.6% gestational diabetes. Most of dysthymic patients had type 2 diabetes with 94.2% against 5.8% type 1 diabetes.

DISCUSSION

The association of depression and diabetes was noted in the literature for the first time more than 300 years ago by the English doctor Willis. Compared to the population of non-depressed subjects, patients with depression may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. There would be an increase in the release of hyperglycemic hormones in depression, as in the stress response. In addition, patients with depression have insulin resistance during testing tolerance to insulin, and during testing tolerance to glucose. Other hypotheses explain that the depression/diabetes link included biological and genetic resources.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes and depressive disorders are public health problems due to their prevalence and their cost. The prevalence of major depressive disorders found among our population of diabetics justifies their research by doctors. The literature promotes appropriate care that would improve the prognosis of diabetes, as well as depression-increased mortality among diabetics.