Depression Care Helps Diabetic Elders

Nov. 27, 2007 -- Depressed, diabetic elders may live longer with depression treatment.

That's according to a new study on geriatric depression and diabetes.

It's not the first study to examine the ties between depression, diabetes, and death. A 2005 study showed a higher death rate among people with type 2 diabetes who are also depressed, even if their depression is mild.

But the new study, published in Diabetes Care, shows that depression treatment may actually prolong life for older adults with diabetes.

Depression and Diabetes Study

The new study included 584 depressed people aged 60 and older in New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

Roughly one in five participants reported ever being diagnosed with diabetes or high blood glucose (blood sugar).

The researchers organized and monitored free depression care, including antidepressants or psychotherapy, for some patients.

For comparison, other patients didn't get coordinated depression care. But the researchers told those patients' doctors about their depression and gave them tips on treating geriatric depression.

During the next five years, 110 patients died of any cause.

Depressed patients with diabetes were about half as likely to die during the study if they received coordinated depression care, compared with other depressed diabetes patients.

Exactly how depression treatment improved survival remains to be seen. But the researchers -- who included the University of Pennsylvania's Hillary Bogner, MD, MSCE -- have some ideas.

They note that treating depression may ease inflammation and also help patients stick with diabetes treatments and lifestyle changes.

The patients in the depression treatment group may also have seen their doctors more often, giving them a chance to nip other illnesses in the bud, Bogner's team notes.