Antidepressant useful in preventing recurrent depression in diabetics

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Setraline can reduce the risk of recurrent depression among people with diabetes.
One in four patients with diabetes also suffers from depression. It's known that depression can have an adverse impact on quality of life in diabetics and also increase the risk of high blood sugar. Previous evidence has shown how antidepressants are effective in the short term, but the condition tends to recur and is linked to an increase in blood sugar.

A team at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, has looked at 152 patients with diabetes who had recovered from depression after being treated with setraline. They were followed up for a year or until their depression recurred, during which time 79 continued to take setraline and 73 took a placebo. Those on the antidpressant proved less likely to have a recurrence of their depression. After a year, 65.8 per cent of those taking setraline remained in remission, compared to 47.9 per cent of those on placebo.

Moreover, the number of days before a recurrence increased for those on setraline. Staying in remission was linked with better blood sugar control which, in turn, would improve the participants' health. Clearly, long-term treatment with setraline may be a useful approach for those with diabetes who suffer from depression.

Source
Archives of General Psychiatry May 2006 Volume 63 pages 521-529

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