14 DAY TRIAL // Doctors say that they have recently started to notice a higher degree of medical compliance and improvement in patients who are treated for both Type II diabetes and depression in an integrated manner, as opposed to receiving the standard therapies for each of these conditions.
The new study suggests a new avenue of research in finding a way of handling these conditions. Some forms of depression respond very slowly to treatment or, in some cases, not at all. This integrated approach may be the solution needed to address this serious condition.
What researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered was that patients treated with the new approach displayed marked decreases in the intensity of the depression symptoms, whereas those suffering from Type II diabetes started displaying blood sugar values that were closer to normal.
During the investigation, a number of patients were asked to take medication for both diseases at the same time. Researchers say that as many as 60 percent of these people displayed the aforementioned improvements, a percentage way above what scientists were expecting to see.
The most significant improvement was recorded in blood sugar levels. Additionally, about 58 percent of participants reported fewer symptoms of depression as a result. Only 36 percent and 31 percent, respectively, of patients who received conventional treatments reported the same improvements.
“Though research demonstrates the link between depression and diabetes, few integrated programs are being implemented in practice,” explains UP Perelman School of Medicine assistant professor Hillary Bogner, MD, MSCE, who was also the lead author of the new investigation.
“Our results demonstrate that integrated treatment for both conditions, combined with a brief program focused on adherence for primary care patients with Type 2 diabetes and depression can result in a significant improvement in clinical outcomes,” she goes on to say.
Previous studies demonstrated that depression is somehow a very important risk factor for diabetes. In turn, the Type II diabetes is a known risk factor for depression. Even knowing about this link, very few studies have been carried out to establish a combined course of action against these disorders.
Interestingly, Type II diabetes patients who are depressed tend to exhibit lower levels of adherence to medication routines, which contributes to aggravating their symptoms. As a direct result, they become more depressed, and even less likely to take their medication.
“We hope the findings will encourage the adoption of adherence programs aimed at improving outcomes,” Bogner explains. Details of the new study appear in the January/February issue of the esteemed journal Annals of Family Medicine, PsychCentral reports.