[Depressive symptoms and quality of life in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic distal polyneuropathy].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of depressive symptoms and neuropathic pain in the quality of life (QL) of diabetic patients with diabetic distal polyneuropathy (DDP). METHODS Two hundred and four patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were evaluated. The diagnosis of DDP was achieved using the Neuropathy Disability Score and Neuropathy Symptom Score questionnaires. The severity of neuropathic pain was assessed by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); the severity of depression, by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); and QL was assessed by means of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-bref (WHOQOLbref). RESULTS Patients with DDP presented significant higher scores in BDI (12.6 +/- 7.2 versus 9.9 +/- 7.3; p = 0.018) and in VAS (5.0 +/- 2.4 versus 2.6 +/- 2.9; p < 0.001). They also presented significant lower scores in the physical (52.8 +/- 15.5 versus 59.2 +/- 17.0; p = 0.027) and environmental domains (56.6 +/- 12.3 versus 59.6 +/- 13.6; p = 0,045). CONCLUSIONS Diabetic patients with DDP presented a worse QL in the physical and environmental domains of the WHOQOL-bref, probably due to more depressive symptoms and the severity of pain.