Diabetes mellitus has a high prevalence rate in China, and patients’ quality of life is severely affected. Exploring the relationship between their mental health status and the development of early atheroslerosis is crucial for preventing complications and improving quality of life.

To evaluate the mental health status of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) via Zung’s self-rating depression scale (SDS) and self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), exploring the factors influencing mental health in diabetes patients. To probe the relationship between anxiety or depression and early atherosclerosis, early endothelial function changes were evaluated via color Doppler ultrasound in diabetes patients with psychological problems (depression or anxiety).

Seventy-six T2DM patients’ mental status was evaluated via questionnaires and self-rating scales. The following data were collected: age, weight, diabetes duration, chronic diabetes complications, and hypertension, coronary disease, and chronic kidney disease history. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were measured to explore factors related to T2DM inpatients’ mental health. Endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) was evaluated via color Doppler ultrasound to study the differences in endothelial function between T2DM patients with and without depression or anxiety.

In total, 77.6% of the participants had comorbid psychological problems (depression = 73.7%, anxiety = 38.2%). Psychological problems were positively correlated with the SDS score (r = 0.739, p = 0.00) and negatively correlated with EDD (r = −0.443, p = 0.02). Depression was positively correlated with age, diabetes duration, HbA1c, complication number, and SAS scores (r = 0.422, 0.477, 0.419, 0.379; p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00). According to the disease duration, diabetes patients were divided into quartile groups. Age, FBG, HbA1c, complications, SDS scores, and EDD significantly differed between groups (p = 0.00, 0.02, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00).

Age, diabetes duration, blood glucose control, and complications all affect mental health in T2DM patients. Psychological problems in diabetic patients are more likely to be depression than anxiety. Anxiety and depression are prone to occur together. Depression potentially aggravates endothelial dysfunction.