An Assessment of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life in Polish Patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on quality of life (QoL) among Polish patients, comparing those with diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) to those without, using the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent QoL (ADDQoL) questionnaire.

Patients and methods: The study was conducted among 50 patients with DFS and 50 without DFS. In relation to the first group, two scales (PEDIS and the Wagner scale) were used to assess the severity of wounds. The tool used for studying QoL was the Polish language version of ADDQoL, comprising two questions related to general QoL and 19 domains related to some aspects of life. Each domain included 2 components. The value of the average weighted impact (AWI) score is derived by dividing the sum of the weighted ratings by the number of applicable domains. Demographic and clinical parameters were also applied.

Results: Patients with T2DM demonstrated a negative influence of the disease in all domains of ADDQoL. Values of AWI of ADDQoL showed significant associations with patients. Patients with DFS experienced a negative impact on their QoL, especially regarding physical health, feelings about their future, and working life. Patients without DFS were particularly affected in terms of freedom to eat and drink, and feelings about their future. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve QoL among DFS patients, particularly addressing physical health and future outlook.

Conclusion: The study concludes that DFS significantly worsens QoL across multiple domains. Gender, treatment methods, and self-care practices positively influence QoL, while complications such as amputation and wound severity negatively impact it. Tailored strategies are needed to address these factors.