The high comorbidity of depression in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 has been established.

The association between Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 is poorly understood.

The aim of the present study was to assess the degree in which diabetes mellitus type 2 is accompanied by OCD.

131 diabetic patients, 55 female and 76 male were randomly enrolled and during the first assessment was administered in all participants the Zung Self Rating Scale (ZUNG) and the Maudsley O-C Inventory Questionnaire (MOCI). After one year, while an intensive effort to improve the patients’ metabolic profile was performed, the diabetic patients that were initially uncontrolled (n = 31) were re-evaluated by the same psychometric tools. From those 31 patients 10 had managed to control their metabolic profile.

MOCI and the sub-scale of slowness are statistically related with the diabetic profile (controlled-uncontrolled), with uncontrolled patients scoring significantly higher on the overall MOCI score and the factor of slowness of MOCI scale (p = 0.028). Regarding the association between the values of Glycosylated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) and the scores of MOCI it was found that they were significantly positively correlated in overall scores (p = 0,028) and in the subscale of slowness (p = 0,028). The analysis revealed a positive association between depression (p = 0.004) and obsessive compulsive disorder symptomatology (p < 0.001) and thepatient’s metabolic profile.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 is associated with obsessive compulsive disorder symptomatology and depression. Improvements in glycaemic control were found to decrease the severity of the symptoms.