Impaired glucose metabolism and health related quality of life

Abstract

Aims: We aimed at investigating whether different categories of glucose tolerance have any effect on a person's HRQoL.

Methods: Population-based cross-sectional study conducted as a community sample of apparently healthy middle-aged individuals living in Western Finland. The subjects of the study, 1383 individuals, aged 45-70 years, had at least one cardiovascular risk factor but no previous diagnoses of either diabetes or cardiovascular disease. They completed health related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire before the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to diagnose the gategories of glucose tolerance.

Results: Persons with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (NDM) had lower scores for physical functioning, general health and emotional role than subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

Conclusion: The results of the HRQoL questionnaire demonstrated that NDM is negatively associated with HRQoL, but prediabetes - IFG or IGT - does not.

Keywords: Cardiovascular risk factors; Health-related quality of life; Impaired glucose tolerance.