Depressed Diabetics Double Their Risk of Kidney Disease

A diabetic's risk of developing chronic kidney disease nearly doubles when he or she is depressed, according to a new study.

The study, published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, collected data on nearly 4,000 adults with diabetes in Washington State. These diabetics, all patients of a large health maintenance organization, were observed for how carefully they managed their diet and blood sugar levels. How frequently the patients exercised were recorded as well. Data collected from laboratory testing showed the researchers how functional and healthy the patients' kidneys were.

Lastly, the patients were asked to answer a questionnaire, which was designed to determine whether they were depressed.

In an analysis of all this combined data, the researcher were able to determine that patients who demonstrated the greatest number of signs and symptoms of depression also has an 85 percent higher risk of developing kidney failure, compared to the other study participants.

According to the data, overall, 12 percent of the diabetics have signs of major depression, and about nine percent showed minor symptoms. The study lasted for approximately nine years with about two percent of the participants developed kindly failure in that time.

Not surprisingly, the association between the development of kidney disease and depression was seen strongest in those who could be classified as having major depression. The researchers explained this result might be influenced, at least in part, by the fact that a large number of the symptoms of depression are similar to the signs of advancing kidney disease. These symptoms include low energy, insomnia, lack of interest, and a reduced appetite.

It should be noted that this study only identifies a direct association between depression and kidney disease, and a cause-and-effect relationship was not explained by the study's findings.

The study was published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology on March 27.