Association between depressive symptoms in mothers and metabolic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Poor metabolic control in patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is associated with shortand long-term complications. Adolescents with T1DM present poorer metabolic control than patients of other age groups. Few studies have shown an association between mothers with depressive symptoms and the metabolic control of their adolescent children.

Objective: To evaluate the association between maternal depressive symptoms and metabolic control of their adolescents with T1DM.

Subjects and Method: Cross-sectional observational study carried out with adolescents aged between 10 and 18 years, with T1DM diagnosis of at least 1 year ago and their mothers. The Beck Depression Inventory-II and the SALUFAM questionnaire were applied, and sociodemographic data were collected. Glycosylated hemoglobin from capillary blood was used as a marker of metabolic control.

Results: 86 couples (mother-adolescent children) were studied. The average age of the adolescents was 14.04 years and the average evolution time of T1DM was 5.95 years. 27.325.6% of mothers had depressive symptoms, which was associated with worse metabolic control of their children (HbA1c of 7.66% and 8.91%, p-value <0.001). 17.9% of adolescents had depressive symptoms, which was not associated with maternal depressive symptoms or worse metabolic control. Maternal depressive symptoms were also associated with lower maternal and paternal educational levels, high number of children in the family, presence of other siblings with chronic illnesses, and high health vulnerability (SALUFAM).

Conclusions: The mother’s depressive symptoms can be associated with worst metabolic control in T1MD adolescents. It is fundamental a multidisciplinary family approach to get better metabolic controls in T1DM adolescents.