Evaluation of Relation between HbA1c Level with Cognitive Disorders and Depression in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

BACKGROUND: The role of HbA1c level in cognition decline and depression in type 2 diabetic patients is reported in some studies. AIM: We evaluated the possible significant relationship between HbA1c level and cognition decline and depression in type 2 diabetic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytic study was performed on 512 patients with a different HbA1c level and ages range. All subjects were administered a structured clinical interview. Cognitive functions and depressive disorders were assessed through the Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) respectively. Chi-square test was used for relationships between variables. RESULTS: HbA1c mean in all patients was 7.58%. MMSE score mean in total was 27.28. 83.3% of patients had a depressive disorder, and 8.59% of patients had an MMSE score < 24. There was no significant relationship between HbA1c level and cognitive problems, but there was a significant relationship between recent memory declines with the level of HbA1c (P = 0.03). Also, there was no significant relationship between attention-deficit with HbA1c level. CONCLUSION: Our finding provides that even though there is no significant difference between HbA1c level and cognitive problems and depression, recent memory state in these patients are more affected than the normal population and these patients have a worse state of depressive disorders.