Factors that predicted change in health-related quality of life were identified in a cohort of diabetes mellitus type 1 patients

• Published in: Journal of clinical epidemiology 2005-11, Vol.58 (11), p.1158-1164
• Main Authors: Hart, Huberta E., Redekop, William K., Berg, Marc, Bilo, Henk J.G., Meyboom-de Jong, Betty
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Associated diseases and complications; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Chronic illnesses; Confidence intervals; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - psychology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Disease; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Epidemiology; EuroQol; Female; General aspects; Health Status; Health-related quality of life; Humans; Hypertension - complications; Hypotheses; Intermittent Claudication - complications; Kidney Diseases - complications; Linear Models; Male; Medical sciences; Methodology; Middle Aged; Older people; Predictors; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; RAND-36; Risk factors; Studies; type 1
• ISSN: 0895-4356; 1878-5921
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.02.021

The aim of this study was to investigate whether sociodemographic and diabetes-specific characteristics can predict the rate of change in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over time in patients with diabetes mellitus type I (DMT1). A Dutch cohort of 234 patients with DMT1 was followed for 6 years (1995–2001). HRQOL (RAND-36 and EuroQol) and several demographic and clinical patient characteristics were recorded annually during the study period. Baseline characteristics associated with rate of change in HRQOL were identified using an individual linear growth model. Patients showed a statistically significant decrease over time in most HRQOL scales. Higher baseline diastolic blood pressure was predictive of a faster decrease in RAND-36 PCS score (−0.025, P = .02). Patients with nephropathy showed a faster decrease in PCS (−0.749, P = .003), and those with intermittent claudication a faster decrease in EQ-5D (−0.049, P = .008). In this cohort of patients with DMT1, it was possible to identify factors predicting change in HRQOL. Late complications and risk factors for the development and progression of these complications are predictive of a lower HRQOL in the coming years.