Factors affecting fatigue in patients with type II diabetes mellitus in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize and identify the factors affecting fatigue in patients with type II diabetes mellitus in Korea.

Methods: A total of 180 patients with type II diabetes mellitus were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital. For data collection, a questionnaire survey of diabetes history, hypoglycemia symptoms, and fatigue was conducted between January and February 2011. Data were analyzed using t test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression.

Results: The mean fatigue and hypoglycemia symptom scores of patients with type II diabetes mellitus were 2.88 ± 0.61 and 6.18 ± 12.60, respectively. Hypoglycemia symptoms (p = .004), disease duration (p < .001), and age (p < .001) correlated positively with fatigue. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that hypoglycemia symptoms was the variable positively influencing fatigue in patients with type II diabetes mellitus after adjustment for influences of demographic and clinical characteristic variables.

Conclusions: Hypoglycemia symptoms were confirmed to be a predictor of fatigue. Consequently, it is essential to consider age, and disease duration as well as hypoglycemia symptoms to intervene fatigue effectively among patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: fatigue; hypoglycemia; type 2 diabetes mellitus.