Untitled

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess health related quality of life (QOL) in patients with type I diabetes mellitus (DMT1) and to compare their QOL with the QOL of persons of comparable age in the general population. Furthermore we wanted to investigate which factors mostly influence QOL. In a Dutch cohort of 281 patients with DMT1 QOL was assessed using two generic instruments: the EuroQol and the RAND-36. We performed regression analyses to investigate relationships between several demographic (e.g. sex, age, marital status) and diabetes-specific variables (e.g. HbA1c, frequency of insulin injection, presence of acute and chronic complications) and QOL. The Spearman rank correlations between RAND-36 domains and EuroQol were analysed. RAND-36 results showed, for almost all domains, a QOL comparable with persons of comparable age in the general population. In contrast the QOL measured with the EuroQol was lower for subjects with DMT1. Hyperglycaemic complaints and macrovascular complications had a profound negative influence on QOL. Most correlations between the RAND-36 results and the EuroQol results corresponded with our expectations. Longitudinal data and comparison with results of several diabetes-specific questionnaires should help to establish which instrument might be most appropriate to measure QOL in patients with DMT1.

Ten-year change in self-rated quality of life in a type 1 diabetes population: Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy

“…The presence of complications has been reported to be associated with poorer quality of life [2, 4, 23, 24]. In our study, individuals who had incident cardiovascular disease showed greater declines in the physical component score.…”

“…The ultimate goal of the treatment for type 1 diabetes has been to achieve metabolic control to prevent the development of macro- and microvascular complications. Intensive glycemic control reduces these complications, but increases patient burden and may affect quality of life [1, 2]. The burdens of intensive glycemic control include inconvenience, discomfort, costs, and at least occasional hypoglycemia.…”

“…The burdens of intensive glycemic control include inconvenience, discomfort, costs, and at least occasional hypoglycemia. Further, development and progression of long-term complications (e.g., diabetic retinopathy and changes in visual acuity) may also affect quality of life in this population [2–4]. …”

Fifteen-year follow-up of quality of life in type 1 diabetes mellitus

“…We adjusted the eGFR MDRD values for differences using the conventional Jaffe creatinine method before 2007 and the isotope-dilution mass spectrometrytraceable enzymatic creatinine method after 2007. HRQOL was assessed annually from 1995 to 2001, and these results were reported previously [12] . From 2001 onwards, HRQOL was assessed in 2002 and 2010.…”

“…The full study design has been published in detail previously [12] . In brief, from January 1995 to January 1996, consecutive visiting T1DM patients treated at the diabetes outpatient clinic of the Weezenlanden Hospital (currently Isala), Zwolle, The Netherlands, were invited to participate.…”