The present study sought to establish how much type 2 diabetics manage their blood glucose and what influences their control. It was conducted at Dessie Hospital, Ethiopia, from February to March 2023 among 465 diabetic patients. The HbA1c test, which provides a long-term estimate of blood glucose levels, was used by the researchers rather than relying on fasting blood glucose alone.
The researchers also examined a specific biological pathway called Wnt/β-catenin, which affects how cells grow and move. When this pathway was blocked in mice, they observed that insulin-producing cells migrated more freely, particularly near the mouth. This suggests that altering this pathway might influence insulin production and movement in the body.
The findings indicated that 73.5% of the patients were poorly controlled as far as their blood sugar levels were concerned, with their blood sugar levels constantly high. There were several reasons for this. Patients who had not received any formal education were nearly five times more likely to have poor control compared to formally educated patients. Weight was another important factor, with individuals who were overweight being about 3.8 times more likely and obese patients 5.3 times more likely to have poor control of blood sugar. Elevated cholesterol was another important factor and made poor control nearly 7.8 times more likely. Patients who had been living with diabetes for more than ten years were over three times more likely to have poor control of the condition.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to severe complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and blindness. This study indicates the importance of education, weight management, and cholesterol control to improve blood sugar control. Educating the patient regarding the effective control of diabetes can lead to better outcomes. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle and exercise can work wonders in weight and cholesterol control and thereby reducing complications. Since diabetes complicates blood sugar control in the long run, lifestyle modification and proper medical care at the appropriate time should be given top priority.
Essentially, the research shows that the majority of diabetes patients are struggling to attain normal blood glucose levels, mainly due to education, weight, cholesterol, and duration of the disease. Prioritizing patient education, lifestyle modification, and treatment at an early point can result in better diabetes control, which eventually leads to reduced health risk and improved quality of life.
