Objectives: To understand the quality of life (QOL) in patients with diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance, and investigate factors affecting their QOL.
Methods: Using the SF-36 instrument to assess QOL among 108 patients with diabetes mellitus, 109 patients with impaired glucose tolerance and 116 normal glucose tolerance subjects.
Results: In subjects with diabetes mellitus, the proportion of general perceived health assessed to be excellent or good was 12.04%; as compared with the same-age people, the proportion assessed to be good or fairly good was 62.04%. In subjects with impaired glucose tolerance, the two proportions was 13.76% and 69.72% respectively. The total score attained excellent or good level was 72.23% and 83.49% respectively in patients with diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance. The mean score of multi-item dimensions assessment (ranged from 58.33 to 87.38) decreased in diabetes mellitus; the lowest score being emotional role functioning and the highest mean score being physical functioning. Compared with normal glucose tolerance subjects, the mean score of physical functioning, physical role functioning, general health perception, vitality and the total score in diabetes mellitus was significantly decreased; and compared with in impaired glucose tolerance patients, the mean score of vitality, mental health and the total score was significantly decreased in diabetes mellitus. The result of correlation analysis demonstrated that age, occupational, duration of disease, number of symptoms and complications, level of fasting blood glucose and 2-hour past oral blood glucose affected the QOL of diabetes mellitus patients.
Conclusions: The results suggested that to enhance the QOL in patients with diabetes mellitus, control of plasma glucose, pay attention to psychological treatment and measures related to diabetes mellitus with different characteristics must be early adopted.