No increased risk of developing depression in diabetes compared to other chronic illness

Several studies have found that the prevalence of depression in patients with diabetes is higher than in the general population but it is unclear whether patients with diabetes have an increased risk of developing depression compared with patients with other chronic illnesses. In a nationwide case register study, all patients who had a discharge diagnosis of diabetes or of osteoarthritis at first admission in a period from 1977 to 1997 were identified. The probability of being readmitted and discharged with a diagnosis of depression was estimated with competing risks models in survival analysis. In total, 91,507 patients with a diagnosis of diabetes at first discharge and 108,487 patients with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis were identified. The median age of the populations was high. No difference in the risk of being readmitted with a diagnosis of depression was found between the two groups of patients. There was no difference in the risk for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It is concluded that older patients with diabetes do not seem to have an increased risk of developing severe depression compared with patients with other chronic illness.