The effect of insulin on quality of life in patients with tip 2 diabetes mellitus in daily practice

Insulin is gradually being used more commonly in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in current clinical practice. Injection difficulty and also complications of insulin therapyaffectsthe life standards of the patients. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of insulin on quality of life in daily practice. 100 patients who applied to Endocrinology and Metabolism Diseases outpatient clinics in Karadeniz Technical University Hospital between March 2015 and April 2015, diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and treated with insulin for at least 3 months were involved in the study group. SF-36 Life Quality Scale was applied to the patients. SF-36 points were compared in terms of gender and HbA1C levels of the patients and insulin treatment protocol as well. In this study 41 % (n=41) of the 100 patient is male and 59 % (n=59) is female. Average age of the patients is 59.55 ± 9.30 years. HbA1C average is %8.42 ±1.75. The duration of Type 2 Diabetes is 11.86±7.55 years. The duration of insulin use is 6.11±4.93 years. While 28 % of the patients included in the study used basal insulin, 23 % of them used mix insulin and other 49 % used basal-bolus insulin. When 8 subparameter results of SF-36 questionnaire were compared in terms of HbA1C values, social function and physical pain parameters were determined meaningfully low in those withHbA1C values are ≥ 9%. Emotional role, liveliness, mental health and pain parameters in female patients were determined meaningfully low when compared to those of male patients. On the other hand, when questionnaire results were compared in terms of insulin treatment protocol, physical function, physical role, emotional role, mental health, social function and physical pain parameters in those who use mixture insulin were determined higher in comparison with other treatment protocols although being borderline significant. As a result, basic factor determining the life quality of diabetic patients revealed to be glucose control. Tolerable level of HbA1C is associated with the meaningful increase in life quality.