ORIGINAL ARTICLES Effect of an Antidepressant on Medication Adherence among Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Depression Accessing Care in GOPC of FETHI

West Afr J Med . 2023 Apr 28;40(4):375-381.

Abstract

Abstract  in English, French

Comorbid depression among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients is on the increase. This has been linked with poor glycaemic control, greater risk of complications, high burden of medical cost and health care utilisation, and worsening prevalence of other comorbidities resulting in decreased life expectancy. This study determined the antidepressant effect of amitriptyline on depression and glycaemic control among the depressed type 2 DM patients attending Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti (FETHI), Nigeria. It was an interventional study involving 51 depressed type 2 DM patients randomly screened using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). They had health education and oral amitriptyline 50mg at night for two months. Postintervention assessment was done using the same tool. Respondents' age ranged between 44 and 78 years with a mean age of 58±8.4 years. Post-intervention assessment showed improved depressive symptoms; 50% of the respondents had significantly improved glycaemic control with a statistically significant effect on depression (the median score of PHQ-9 reduced from 6.0 to 3.0).

Keywords: Amitriptyline; Depression; Diabetes Mellitus; Glycaemic Control; Medication Adherence.

O E Gabriel-Alayode ¹, S L Omotola ², O T Elegbede ¹, O A Ajetunmobi ¹, S M Agboola ¹, A K Jimoh ³, A O Elegbede ⁴