Associations between inflammation-related biomarkers and depressive symptoms in individuals with recently diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes

- Biomarkers of inflammation were associated with depressive symptoms in diabetes.
- hsCRP and HMW/total adiponectin were positively associated in type 2 diabetes (T2D).
- sICAM-1 showed positive associations in type 1 diabetes (T1D).
- Associations were independent of diabetes-related comorbidities.
- Correction for multiple testing left only HMW/total adiponectin associated in T2D.

Depressive disorders represent a frequent comorbidity of both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Inflammation-related processes have been implicated in the development of both diabetes and depression. This study aimed to investigate whether biomarkers of subclinical inflammation were associated with depressive symptoms in individuals with recently diagnosed diabetes and if such associations differed by diabetes type.This cross-sectional study was based on 295 individuals with T2D (67% men, mean age 53 years) and 139 individuals with T1D (60% men, mean age 36 years) of the German Diabetes Study. The main inclusion criterion was a known disease duration of <1 year. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Allgemeine Depressionsskala, Langversion (ADS-L) questionnaire, the German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) questionnaire. Associations between biomarkers of subclinical inflammation and the ADS-L as continuous score were assessed using multiple linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, HbA1c, lipids, hypertension, medication and comorbidities.Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and the ratio of high-molecular-weight (HMW)/total adiponectin were positively associated with ADS-L in T2D (both P < 0.01), but not in T1D. In contrast, serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1 were positively associated with ADS-L only in T1D (P = 0.035). The latter association was significantly different between both diabetes types (Pinteraction = 0.036). No associations were observed for interleukin (IL)-6, IL-18 and soluble E-selectin. Only the association between HMW/total adiponectin and ADS-L in T2D remained significant after correction for multiple testing.In conclusion, our study shows that the ratio HMW/total adiponectin is associated with depressive symptoms in individuals with recently diagnosed T2D. It also provides suggestive evidence that further biomarkers of subclinical inflammation and endothelial activation may be associated with depressive symptoms in individuals with recently diagnosed T1D and T2D.