Diabetes Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Diabetes, including details on insulin, type i, type ii, diet, treatment, prevention.

Quality of life, health status and clinical outcomes in Type 2 diabetes patients.

Sundaram M, Kavookjian J, Patrick JH, Miller LA, Madhavan SS, Scott VG

Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, 1122-B, R.C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, 9510, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. muralisundaram@hsc.wvu.edu

This study examines relationships between patient reported outcomes (PROs) and clinical outcomes in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients at the outpatient clinics of a university hospital completed measures of generic health status (SF-12), diabetes-specific quality of life (Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life - ADDQoL), and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression - CES-D). Patient reported data were merged with a retrospective collection of clinical and utilization data, including HbA1C, from electronic medical records. A Charlson comorbidity score, diabetes complications score, BMI, and total number of ER and hospital visits were calculated. Usable response rate was 44.3% (n = 385). Patients were dichotomized into glycemic control levels based on the ADA recommended A1C level < 7.0, vs. >or= 7.0. The ADDQoL, PCS-12, and MCS-12 scores were separately examined as dependent variables using hierarchical regression models, with glycemic control as the primary explanatory variable, and controlling for demographics and clinical variables including comorbidities and complications. Glycemic control was not a significant predictor in any regression model. Obesity was a significant predictor leading to poorer PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores, while depressive symptoms significantly resulted in lower PCS-12, MCS-12 and ADDQoL scores. These and other factors related to self-management behaviors may contribute to a greater understanding of how to intervene with patients with T2DM. The use of such PROs alongside biomedical measures such as A1C is recommended.

Published 9 January 2007 in Qual Life Res, 16(2): 165-77.
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