Depression: what are the risk factors in elderly diabetic patients?

Takeaway

• In elderly patients with diabetes, overweight status, poor physical capabilities and low activity level and the presence of >2 additional illnesses were the risk factors for depression.
• Metformin was found to be protective against depression in elderly patients with diabetes.

Why this matters

• Few studies have focused on the risk factors for depression in elderly patients with diabetes and not much is known regarding the effect of metformin on elderly patients with depression.

Study design

• This case-control study included 110 elderly patients with diabetes having depression (cases) and gender- and age-matched 440 non-depressed control patients.
• Funding: Liaoning Department of Education and others.

Key results

• Risk factors for depression in elderly patients with diabetes included (all P<.05):
  • overweight status (adjusted OR [aOR], 2.031; 95% CI, 1.180-3.495);
  • poor physical capabilities and low activity level (aOR, 2.342; 95% CI, 1.465-3.743); and
  • presence of >2 additional illnesses (aOR, 5.350; 95% CI, 2.222-12.883).
• Patients taking metformin vs those not on any medication had a significantly lower risk for depression (aOR, 0.567; 95% CI, 0.323-0.997; P<.05).
• Patients taking other hypoglycaemic drugs vs those not on any medication showed no significant differences.

Limitations

• Self-reported data.
• Newly diagnosed participants were not included.