The association between antidepressant treatment and rates of insulin initiation in comorbid depression and type 2 diabetes: A UK electronic health record nested case-control study
Authors' conclusion
Antidepressant prescribing was highly associated with the initiation of insulin therapy. However, this may not indicate a direct causal effect of the antidepressant medication itself, and may be a marker of more severe depression influencing diabetic control.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with comorbid depression and T2D, UK primary care records
- Participants
- 11,862 vs 43,452
- Comparison
- Antidepressant prescribing vs none, in relation to insulin initiation
- Casesn = 11,862
- Controlsn = 43,452reference
- Outcome
- Rate of insulin initiation in association with antidepressant prescribing
Methodological detailsUK primary care electronic health records, conditional logistic regression, adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, health service and previous medication use
- UK primary care electronic health records
- Conditional logistic regression
- Adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, health service and previous medication use
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Insulin initiation
Incidence rate ratio (95% CI)
Any antidepressant prescriptionvs No antidepressant
3.78(3.53–4.04)
Antidepressant treatment 24+ monthsvs No antidepressant
5.61(5.23–6.03)
3+ different antidepressant agentsvs No antidepressant
5.72(5.25–6.24)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Recency of prescription and antidepressant agent
- No difference between recent and non-recent antidepressant prescriptions, or between different antidepressant agents
Original publication
The association between antidepressant treatment and rates of insulin initiation in comorbid depression and type 2 diabetes: A UK electronic health record nested case-control study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. Published 29 December 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →