Cognition in type 2 diabetes: Association with vascular risk factors, complications of diabetes and depression

BACKGROUND: The role of variables like duration of diabetes, diabetic control and microvascular complications in the causation of cognitive decline in patients with type 2 diabetes is not well studied. The contribution of hypertension to the cognitive decline in nondemented diabetic patients is unclear. AIMS: We wanted to see if cognition in patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with the duration of diabetes, control of diabetes, complications of diabetes, vascular risk factors, or depression. We also looked at association of noncompliance with cognition, and depression. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: We recruited ambulant patients with type 2 diabetes who are 55 years or more in age from the weekly diabetic clinic. We excluded patients with past history of stroke. METHODS AND MATERIAL: We selected the time taken for the Trial A test, delayed recall on ten-word list from Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) and Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) screening instrument to assess these patients. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: We utilized mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test and Pearson's correlation for statistical analysis. We considered P < 0.05 to be significant. RESULTS: RUDAS scores inversely correlated (r = −0.360) with CES-D scores (P = 0.002). Scores of the screening instrument for depression, the CES-D was associated with the duration of diabetes mellitus (P = 0.018), fasting blood glucose (P = 0.029) as well as with 2-hour post prandial blood glucose (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: There is correlation between depression and global cognitive score. Depression seems to be associated with duration of diabetes and control of diabetes.