Risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus between adolescents with antidepressant-resistant and antidepressant-responsive depression: A cohort study of 15,651 adolescents

Whether response to antidepressants is related to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adolescents with depression remains unknown. This study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to enroll 1739 adolescents with antidepressant-resistant depression, 6956 with antidepressant-responsive depression, and 6956 controls between 2001 and 2010, with an end-of-2011 follow-up. Physician-diagnosed T2DM was identified at follow-up. T2DM-related risk factors, namely hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity, were assessed and controlled for as confounding factors. Adolescents with antidepressant-resistant depression (hazard ratio [HR], 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 4.62, 2.75–7.75) and those with antidepressant-responsive depression (HR, 95 % CI: 3.06, 1.98–4.72) had a higher risk of developing T2DM at follow-up than did the control group. Those with antidepressant-resistant depression were more likely to receive a diagnosis of T2DM (HR, 95 % CI: 1.51, 1.04–2.19) later in life than were those with antidepressant-responsive depression. Clinicians should closely monitor factors related to T2DM, such as fasting blood sugar, in high-risk populations, especially in adolescents with antidepressant-resistant depression.