METABOLIC CONTROL, QUALITY-OF-LIFE, AND NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF WELL-CONTROLLED AND POORLY REGULATED PATIENTS WITH TYPE-I DIABETES AFTER CHANGEOVER TO INSULIN PEN TREATMENT

In a previous study of a group of 74 patients with Type 1 diabetes, qu ality of life was found to be consistently enhanced a year after trans ition to multiple injection therapy with the insulin pen, whereas meta bolic control (HbA(1c)) only improved moderately. The aim of the prese nt investigation was to examine quality of life, recent life events, a nd metabolic control longitudinally in this original study group over a 5-year period beginning 1 year after transition to the insulin pen. Multiple analysis of variance with a repeated-measures design was used to analyze the data longitudinally and compare metabolic control in s ubgroups of well-controlled and poorly regulated patients during the s tudy period. For the group as a whole, quality of life was found to ch ange only moderately, whereas metabolic control deteriorated significa ntly across time following transition to the insulin pen. The two subg roups exhibited distinct differences, however, in quality of life, rec ent life events, and metabolic control patterns. These findings are di scussed in terms of the clinical suitability of a multiple injection r egimen.