Health-related quality of life in insulin-treated diabetic patients in theSudan

To determine health-related quality of life (HRQL) in people with insulin-t reated diabetes mellitus in Sudan, a total of 89 patients aged 25-55 years and with greater than or equal to 5 years diabetes duration was studied. HR QL was measured with a 68-item questionnaire from the Medical Outcomes Stud y. Late diabetic complications were assessed, and haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c )) was measured to assess the metabolic control. Of the patients (m = 36; f = 53), only 13.5% had good metabolic control ((HbA(1c)) < 7.5%). These pat ients rated their HRQL as worse than patients with poor metabolic control ( (HbA(1c)) > 10%). However, the latter were significantly younger, had short er diabetes duration, and were free from late complications. Overall, 49.4% of the patients had one or more of the late diabetic complications. These patients rated their HRQL significantly lower when compared with patients w ithout complications. Older age and the presence of late diabetic complicat ions were the most important predictors for HRQL. It is concluded that self -rated HRQL in this group of patients is generally low. Improving diabetes knowledge and the metabolic control since early in the course of the diseas e, will not only retard the development of late complications, but will cer tainly improve the HRQL of these patients. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Irelan d Ltd. All rights reserved.