The Relationship Between HbA1c Level and Beck Depression Scale in Patients with Heart Failure with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction: Multiple studies have shown the relationship between heart failure (HF) and development of depression. Several studies have demonstrated worse perception of quality of life among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to assess the association between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and depression severity in patients with diabetic HF. Patients and Methods: Between July 2015 and June 2016, 179 patients with HF (left ventricular ejection fraction < 35%) and T2DM were included in the study. Blood samples for HbA1c were obtained from patients with T2DM. The severity of depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Patients with depression were classified as follows: minimal with score 0-13 (group I), mild with score 14-19 (group II), moderate with score 20-28 (group III), and severe with score 29-63 (group IV). Results: The median age of the study population was 64 (57-75) years (98 females and 81 males). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the frequency of hypertension and gender. There was a significant positive correlation between BDI and HbA1c levels in patients with HF (r= 0.488, p< 0.001). According to the analysis performed between the groups, HbA1c values were found to be significantly higher in group IV than in groups I, II, and III (6.0 ± 1.47, 6.4 ± 0.6, 7.03 ± 0.7, and 7.6 ± 1.23, respectively; p< 0.001), which indicate the association between severity of depression and HbA1c level. Conclusion: We detected a significant association between BDI and HbA1c level in patients with chronic HF with T2DM. Therefore, more strict control of blood glucose level may improve quality of life and decrease depressive symptoms in patients with diabetic HF