فصلنامه پرستاری دیابت
سال دوم شماره 2 (تابستان 1393)

Lung is one of the affected organs by diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic training on some cardiorespiratory factors in men with type 2 diabetes. In this semi-experimental study، 20 men with type 2 diabetes، who met the inclusion criteria، were evaluated. The mean age of the subjects was 45. 05±3. 8 years and the mean fasting blood sugar was 140. 55±29. 8 mg/dL. The participants were randomly assigned into aerobic training (N=10) and control (N=10) groups. Aerobic training continued for 8 weeks (3 sessions per week). Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and pulmonary functions including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured before and after the intervention. To analyze the changes in the parameters، t-test was applied. P-value ≤ 0. 05 was considered statistically significant. After the intervention period، VO2max (P=0. 001)، FVC (P=0. 014)، and FEV1 (P= 0. 037) significantly increased in the aerobic group. However، no significant difference was reported in the investigated parameters in the control group (P>0. 05). The findings of this study confirm the positive influence of aerobic training on the improvement of pulmonary functions and VO2max in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic disease, persisting throughout one’s life. This condition has direct and indirect impacts on the quality of life (QOL) of diabetic patients. The increased incidence of diabetes-associated problems results in decreased QOL in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an educational program in increasing QOL in diabetic patients, referring to the clinic of Tamin Ejtemaei Hospital in Khoramabad, Iran in 2013. This quasi-experimental, with a two-group pretest-posttest design, was carried out on 80 diabetic patients, referring to Tamin Ejtemaei Hospital (48 men, 32 women). The subjects were divided into 2 groups: case group (40 patients) and control group (40 individuals). The subjects were within the age range of 30-70 years. Demographic data were collected using a questionnaire, and QOL was determined using SF-20 questionnaire and interviews. The training sessions were held for the case group, using direct and indirect methods. Three months after the intervention, the two groups were re-evaluated, using the questionnaire; the pre- and post-test data were compared within the groups. ANOVA and paired t-test were performed, using SPSS version 17. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Overall, 40% and 60% of the subjects were females and males, respectively. The mean duration of diabetes was 9.50±7.70 years. QOL in 31.92%, 29.78%, and 38.30% of the subjects was low, medium, and high, respectively. There was a significant difference between the mean QOL before and after the intervention in the case group (P≤ 0.05). Integrated educational programs for patients with type 2 diabetes can improve QOL and decrease diabetes-associated complications. The results showed that adequate training for diabetic patients can increase their satisfaction and QOL.

Assessment of patients’ educational needs, knowledge level, self-care training, positive attitudes, consistency, and proper functioning is effective in controlling chronic diseases such as diabetes. Thus, in this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between self-care and educational needs in diabetic patients, admitted to Amir-Al-Momenin Hospital in Zabol, Iran. This semi-experimental study was conducted on diabetic patients, referring to Amir-Al-Momenin Hospital in Zabol. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which consisted of three sections: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) prior history of diseases; and 3) dietary habits (16 items), disease control and management (13 items), and disease prevention (13 items). Descriptive and analytical statistics were applied, using SPSS software. Our findings showed that the majority of subjects (72%) had type 2 diabetes. Overall, 80%, 75%, and 60% of the participants had insufficient knowledge regarding disease control and management, disease prevention, and diet, respectively. The majority of subjects (82%) had poor self-care before determining their educational needs; however, after 6 months, self-care in the majority (91%) of participants was claimed to be proper. The results showed a significant relationship between self-care and educational needs (P<0.05). Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between educational level and self-care (P=0.015). Assessment of educational needs and self-care training in diabetic patients is a valuable and important strategy in controlling diabetes. The positive effect of training has been confirmed in various studies. Thus, trained nurses at hospitals should educate diabetic patients with regard to self-care.

Approximately 2.5-3% of the world’s population suffers from diabetes. This condition is one of the most serious metabolic disorders, resulting in an increase in inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress, inflammation, blood glucose, lipid level, and anthropometric parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes. This cross-sectional study was performed to compare the relationship between inflammatory factors and type 2 diabetes in 45 male and female subjects (age range=35-65 years). For data analysis, independent sample t-test and linear regression were applied. The mean values of fasting blood sugar (FBS), malondialdehyde (MDA), total cholesterol (TC), and body mass index (BMI) were higher in women, compared to men. However, no significant difference was observed between the two genders in terms of other factors. Also, MDA was not directly correlated with FBS, TC, triglyceride, or anthropometric indices (body weight, BMI, and body fat) after adjusting the sex factor. This study showed that the mean values of BMI, TC, and MDA were higher in diabetic women, compared to their male counterparts. Therefore, diabetic patients should pay particular attention to the management of inflammatory factors to facilitate and accelerate the treatment and prevention of complications due to inflammation.

Diabetes is among the most important metabolic diseases, affecting 171 million people, worldwide. The number of people affected by diabetes is estimated to reach up to 366 million until 2030. Magnesium (Mg) is a co-factor for many enzyme reactions in the body and contributes to the oxidation and metabolism of carbohydrates and insulin activation. The current study aimed to evaluate serum Mg level in patients with type 2 diabetes and identify the contributing factors. In this descriptive, analytical (cross-sectional) study, 60 patients with type 2 diabetes, referring to the diabetic clinic and internal ward of Amir-al-Momenin Hospital of Zabol, were evaluated. The subjects were selected via accessible sampling, and written informed consents were obtained. Data were gathered, using interviews and a researcher-made checklist. Blood samples were taken for evaluating Mg and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, using SPSS software. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant (confidence interval=95%). The mean Mg level in patients with type 2 diabetes was 1.76±0.43 (mg/dl), and the mean HbA1c was 8.51±1.60 %. There was a significant relationship between Mg level and HbA1c (P=0.01). More over, Mg level was significantly correlated with patients’ gender. However, no statistical relation was observed between Mg level and other variables such as age, educational level, body mass index, economic status, blood pressure, or systolic and diastolic blood pressure. As the results indicated, the mean Mg concentration in diabetic patients was lower than the normal level (1.8–2.5 mg/dl). Considering the statistical relation between Mg concentration and HbA1c, more attention should be paid to integrating Mg in the diet of diabetic patients, and the patients should be informed about magnesium-rich sources.

Despite the progress in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, metabolic control in diabetic patients is still insufficient. Poor metabolic control may be due to failure in diabetes self-care by patients and inadequate intervention strategies by health care providers. Barriers to self-care training contribute to inefficient self-management by diabetic patients. In fact, an understanding of these barriers can promote self-care in patients. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine barriers to self-care training in diabetic patients from the viewpoints of nurses and patients. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. Overall, 48 diabetic patients and 42 nurses working at the departments of endocrinology and diabetes clinics were selected via convenience sampling. The subjects completed the researcher-made questionnaires, and the collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 15 and descriptive statistical tests. The results showed that environmental (mean=15.85) and management (mean=10.16) barriers were the most important factors from the viewpoints of nurses and patients, respectively. Also, the findings showed that insufficient access of nurses to updated scientific sources related to diabetes (e.g., books, journals, and articles) at the department of endocrinology, lack of a diabetes training center at the hospital, nursing shortage (for answering patients’ questions), nurses’ work overload, and insufficient time for providing information were the most important barriers from the patients’ perspective. As the results indicated, health care authorities and administrators at nursing faculties should update the available scientific sources, hold training courses for nurses, and specialize nurses in diabetes self-care in order to provide self-care training for diabetic patients and overcome barriers to diabetes self-care.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease and a major health concern, worldwide. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly, causing various complications including nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, and blindness. Depression is a psychiatric disorder with symptoms such as loss of interest and energy, feelings of guilt, feelings of failure, isolation, concentration difficulties, self-hatred, and loss of appetite, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, and oversleeping. Patients with diabetes may develop mood disorders including depression. The aim of this review was to discuss depression in patients with diabetes. In the current study, English and Persian databases including Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Google Scholar, and PubMed were searched, using keywords such as “diabetes”, “depression”, and “patient”. Related articles published during 1995-2007 were assessed. Prevalence of depression in diabetic patients, as well as the relationship between depression and different variables including age, sex, and marital status, was evaluated. As the results indicated, the prevalence of diabetes is quite high in Iran. Depression not only exacerbates diabetes-associated complications, but also leads to self-destructive behaviors including overeating, polydipsia, non-use of medications, and suicidal attempts, which interrupt the process of diabetes treatment. Discussion and Depression is more prevalent in diabetic patients, compared to the general population. Moreover, women, single individuals, widows (widowers), the divorced, and those with genetic backgrounds of depression are more susceptible to depression, compared to others. Therefore, assessment and psychiatric consultation are recommended for diabetic patients, especially those who are more prone to depression.