Depressive Symptoms, Race, and Glucose Concentrations

The role of cortisol as mediator

  1. Stephen H. Boyle, PHD,
  2. Richard S. Surwit, PHD,
  3. Anastasia Georgiades, PHD,
  4. Beverly H. Brummett, PHD,
  5. Michael J. Helms, BS,
  6. Redford B. Williams, MD and
  7. John C. Barefoot, PHD
  1. From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Stephen H. Boyle, PhD, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Box 2969, Durham, NC 27745. E-mail: shboyle{at}duke.edu

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—This study examined the associations of depressive symptoms with glucose concentrations and morning cortisol levels in 665 African-American and 4,216 Caucasian Vietnam-era veterans.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Glucose level was measured as a three-level variable (diabetes, impaired glucose, and normal). Depressive symptoms were measured by the Obvious Depression Scale (OBD) from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.

RESULTS—Regression models showed significant race × OBD interactions in relation to glucose concentration (P < 0.0001) and cortisol (P < 0.0001). The OBD was positively associated with glucose concentration and cortisol in both racial groups. However, the magnitude of those associations was larger for African Americans. Further analyses suggested that cortisol partially mediated the race difference in the relation of depressive symptoms to glucose concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS—These results suggest that enhanced hypothalamic pituitary adrenal activity plays an important role in the relation of depressive symptoms to dysregulated glucose metabolism and may partially explain the differential effects of depressive symptoms on glucose levels in African-American and Caucasian male subjects.

Footnotes

  • Published ahead of print at http://care.diabetesjournals.org on 13 July 2007. DOI: 10.2337/dc07-0258.

    R.B.W. is a founder and major stockholder of Williams LifeSkills.

    A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances.

    The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

    • Accepted July 7, 2007.
    • Received February 7, 2007.
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  1. Published online before print July 13, 2007, doi: 10.2337/dc07-0258 Diabetes Care October 2007 vol. 30 no. 10 2484-2488
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