Relationship of glycaemic control with endurance and fall risk in diabetics with and without cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship of blood sugar random and glycosylated haemoglobin with cardiopulmonary endurance and risk of fall in diabetic patients with and without cardiovascular disease.

Method: The correlational study was conducted at the Riphah College of Rehabilitation and Allied Health Sciences, Riphah International University (RIU), Islamabad, Pakistan, from September 2022 to August 2023. The sample was raised from The Diabetic Centre, Islamabad, and the Pakistan Ordinance Factories, Wah Cantonment, and comprised diabetic patients of either gender aged 45-65 years who were divided into group 1 with cardiovascular diseases and group 2 without cardiovascular diseases. To assess glycaemic control, blood sugar random and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were checked. The Berg balance scale was used for balance assessment, and the 6 minutes’ walk test was used for cardiopulmonary endurance. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.

Results: Of the 204 patients with mean age 53.56±6.39 years, 102(50%) were I group 1; 72(70.6%) females and 30(29.4%) males with mean age 54.50±6.42 years. The remaining 102(50%) patients were in group 2; 61(59.8%) females and 41(40.2%) males with mean age 52.63±6.25 years. There were statistically significant results in both groups regarding glycosylated haemoglobin, blood sugar random, risk of fall and cardiopulmonary endurance (p<0.05), but correlational analysis in each group showed negligible correlation with (p >0.05)

Conclusion: Increased blood glucose level was associated with increased risk of fall and reduced cardiopulmonary endurance.

Key Words: Balance, Cardiopulmonary endurance, Cardiovascular disease, Glycaemic control, Risk of fall, Type 2 diabetes.