Dr. Ahmad Shahzad Founder | Lyallpur Diabetes Foundation Consultant Diabetologist | Educator | Advocate for Preventive Care
A balanced diet is absolutely crucial for diabetes control and maintenance of overall health. Because diabetes affects the metabolism of glucose in the body, prudent food choices are essential to keep blood glucose levels inside of a normal range. Maintaining the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fiber may help control glucose fluctuations, maintain energy levels, and prevent problems. When individuals understand how food helps to manage diabetes, they can make informed decisions supporting long-term stability and health.
Understanding Diabetes and Its Dietary Connection
Diabetes is a disease marked by high blood sugar brought on by the failure of the body to produce or use insulin effectively. Controlling it depends on a nutritious diet, and the link is great: diets rich in nuts, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help to prevent diabetes Although risk rises for individuals high in processed meats, sweet beverages, and refined grains, With meals cooked at consistent intervals, a nutritious diabetes diet emphasizes nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods.
Key aspects of a diabetes-friendly diet
Concentrate on complete foods; eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
Choose good fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil rather than saturated fats from red meats, processed meats, and some oils.
Limit particular foods: Lower intake of refined grains, sugar-sweetened drinks (including fruit juices), and sweet treats like cookies and cakes.
High-fiber foods are what you should aim for since they help to control blood glucose levels. Often advised is a target of at least 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories.
Stay hydrated; instead of sugary drinks, consume lots of sugar-free beverages or water.
Be aware of protein sources such beans, nuts, eggs, and lean meats, but restrict processed and red meats because of correlations with other health issues.
Watch your serving sizes to keep a healthy weight.
Keep standard eating times: Eating at fixed intervals can help control blood sugar levels.
The Importance of a Balanced Diet for Diabetics
Diabetics need a balanced diet to regulate blood sugar, lose weight, and lower their risk of problems, including heart disease. Eating consistent meals with a mix of high-fiber carbohydrates, lean protein, and good fats is one part of this process; another is controlling portion sizes and being careful of carbs. Intake: To develop a customized diet based on personal needs, one should see a licensed dietitian.
Why a balanced diet is important
Maintaining blood sugar (glucose) levels within a safe range, a balanced diet helps to avoid both high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and the long-term Among other problems it can bring on are nerve, cardiac, and renal damage.
Healthy eating—particularly when coupled with weight loss—can help to control blood sugar levels and offers further health advantages.
Reduced chance of complications: A balanced diet aids in control of heart disease risk factors including high blood pressure and elevated blood fats.
Better general health: Adequate nutrition enhances mood, raises energy levels, and stimulates the body’s antioxidant activity.
The Role of Meal Planning and Portion Control
Controlling diabetes depends on meal planning and serving size control since they help to stabilize blood sugar levels, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid complications. While portion control prevents overeating and guarantees steady carbohydrate intake and improved overall nutrient intake, a meal plan offers direction for well-balanced, consistent meals.
Meal planning for diabetes
Create a customized plan reflecting your objectives, preferences, and way of living in collaboration with a healthcare practitioner or registered dietitian.
Emphasize balanced meals: Each meal should have a combination of healthy fats, lean protein, and complex carbs to encourage hunger and keep blood sugar stable.
Choose foods heavy in nutrients: Emphasize non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins like fish, beans, or chicken. Reduce added sugars, processed foods, and fine grains.
Distribute meals and snacks: Having little, well-balanced meals every few hours helps to maintain steady blood sugar levels.
Portion control for diabetes
Know usual serving amounts, such as half a cup of cooked pasta or a 3-ounce serving of meat, that of a deck of cards.
Especially when beginning out, precisely measure food using measuring cups, spoons, or a kitchen scale.
Try the Plate Method: one-quarter should be lean protein, one-quarter should be complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, and half should be non-starchy veggies.
Extras include sauces, condiments, and even certain oils, adding extra calories, sugar, or fat. Check nutritional information and limit their use.
Popular Dietary Approaches for Diabetes
Among common dietary strategies for diabetes are the plate approach, which emphasizes balanced meals of non-starchy veggies, lean protein, and carbohydrates; carb counting, which entails keeping tabs on carbohydrates; Specific dietary patterns like the Mediterranean or MIND diets as well as carbohydrate consumption to control blood glucose levels. Emphasizing entire foods and regulating eating windows to handle insulin resistance, plant-based diets and sporadic fasting are other often used alternatives.
The Plate Method: A simple visual guide to meal planning.
Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables (e.g., broccoli, spinach, green beans).
Fill a quarter with lean protein (e.g., fish, chicken, beans, tofu).
Fill the final quarter with a carbohydrate (e.g., whole grains, starchy vegetables like peas).
Carbohydrate Counting: A method for more precise blood sugar management.
Track and limit the total number of carbohydrates eaten at each meal.
Work with a healthcare provider or dietitian to determine your target carb amount.
Mediterranean and MIND Diets: These patterns combine elements of the Mediterranean diet with other healthy eating styles.
Include vegetables, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, berries, and fish.
Focus on whole foods and limit added sugars and refined carbohydrates.
Plant-Based Diets (Vegan/Vegetarian): Focus on foods from plants.
Rich in fiber and antioxidants, with lower saturated fat content.
Eliminates all animal products, including meat, fish, and dairy.
Intermittent Fasting: Involves alternating between periods of eating and fasting.
It can help manage insulin resistance and other diabetes-related factors.
Work with a healthcare provider to ensure safety, especially if you take certain medications.
Final Thoughts
Diet, in the last analysis, is among the most effective instruments for diabetes management. By stressing balanced nutrition, portion control, and mindful eating, people may help to keep their blood sugar stable and lower their chance of complications. Combining a nutritious diet with consistent physical exercise and expert direction guarantees a long-lasting strategy to diabetes control and general improved quality of life.
FAQs
How does diet contribute to diabetes?
Diets high in processed carbohydrates have been connected to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Foods rich in saturated fats: You might not associate diabetes with saturated fats, but this bad dietary fat has been connected to insulin resistance.
What is the best diet for insulin resistance?
Emphasizing veggies, fruits, and whole grains while restricting processed foods, sugary beverages, and bad fats, the ideal diet for insulin resistance centers on whole, unprocessed foods. Important ingredients include lean proteins from sources such as fish and chicken, high-fiber foods including beans, lentils, and berries, and beneficial fats from sources like almonds, seeds, and olive oil. Managing blood sugar and increasing insulin sensitivity are made possible by limiting processed snacks, red meat, and white bread.
Does rice spike blood sugar?
Because rice is a high-carbohydrate food that is readily digested and turned to glucose, spike in blood sugar can especially occur with white rice. The kind of rice, serving size, and other foods consumed with it will all influence the degree of the spike. Rice’s digestion and blood sugar response can be slowed by combining it with fiber, protein, healthy fats.
Is roti good for diabetes?
Yes, because of its reduced glycemic index and increased fiber, roti made from whole wheat or other whole grains is normally beneficial for diabetes. than white rice, which manages blood sugar. It’s crucial to eat it in small amounts, though, and to stay away from processed flours (maida), which can cause blood sugar peaks.
Dr. Ahmad Shahzad Founder | Lyallpur Diabetes Foundation Consultant Diabetologist | Educator | Advocate for Preventive Care
The monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is a crucial aspect of successful diabetes management. It enables patients to monitor their own blood sugar levels, enabling them to learn how their diet, physical activity, stress, and medications affect their blood sugar levels. Patients can make informed choices and notice changes before they occur as they check and record their readings on a regular basis. Finally, SMBG will enable individuals with diabetes to actively manage their health and avoid long-term complications.
Understanding Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG)
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG) is a type of monitoring that allows those with diabetes to check their sugar levels at home with a glucometer that assists them in managing their condition by making decisions related to diet, physical activity, and drugs. Consistent monitoring will give blood sugar profile, enable treating high or low blood sugar immediately, improve glycemic control, and enhance communication with health care providers.
How SMBG works
A prick of blood is taken (usually a finger) (or occasionally otherwise).
A blood sample is put in a test strip, and a meter will give a reading of blood glucose in a few seconds.
Most meters archive results and can provide trend over time.
Why SMBG is important
Improves glycemic control: With blood glucose monitoring, one can make wise decisions regarding his or her diet, exercise and pharmacology, which results in improved glycemic control.
Assist in recognizing trends: SMBG helps individuals with diabetes and their medical caregivers to know how various factors influence the process of blood glucose levels.
Avoids complications: Long-term diabetes complications may be avoided through regular monitoring, which makes the blood sugar level within the target range.
Issues with hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia: It is vital in diagnosing and managing the dangerous low and high sugar levels promptly.
Facilitates individualized treatment regimens: The data collected can be used to adjust doses of insulin, diet and exercise to produce an individualized treatment regimen.
The Role of Healthcare Providers in SMBG
Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) depends on healthcare providers, who, through educating patients, ensure they set personalized goals and use data to inform and modify treatment plans. Their role involves initial training, ongoing support, and assisting patients to interpret and make use of SMBG results to regulate diet, exercise, and medication which leads to improved glycemic control and empowerment.
Key roles of healthcare providers in SMBG
Patient education:
Give the first training on how to carry out SMBG properly, the use of meter and ketone test when necessary.
Train patients to understand how to interpret their readings and how food exercise among other factors influences their blood glucose.
Goal setting and personalization:
The partnership with patients to develop personalized SMBG guidelines (frequency and intensity) according to their needs and treatment objectives.
Concur with the reason of SMBG with the patient and record such objectives.
Therapeutic adjustments:
Utilize the SMBG data to make informed and timely decisions on whether to make changes in the areas of medication, lifestyle, and diet.
Help patients to cope with acute conditions such as sickness by monitoring SMBG more often.
Technological advances in glucose monitoring include the development of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) and Flash Glucose Monitors (FGM), which are more convenient and less invasive than traditional finger pricks. Other key advancements are the integration of CGMs with automated insulin delivery (AID) systems, the development of more accurate and smaller sensors, and the exploration of non-invasive and self-powered technologies. These innovations improve glycemic control, reduce hypoglycemia, and provide users with real-time data and alerts.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, self-monitoring of blood glucose plays a crucial role in achieving better diabetes control and overall well-being. By consistently tracking blood sugar levels, individuals can recognize patterns, make timely adjustments, and work more effectively with their healthcare providers. Regular monitoring not only helps prevent complications but also fosters greater confidence and independence in managing diabetes.
FAQs
What is self-monitoring of blood glucose levels?
Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) can be a useful tool in the management of diabetes mellitus. Patients with diabetes often measure their blood glucose to detect hypoglycemia and to adjust insulin dose as needed.
What is the 15 minute rule for diabetes?
If your blood sugar is low, follow the 15-15 rule: Have 15 grams of carbs, then wait 15 minutes. Check your blood sugar again. If it’s still less than 70 mg/dL, repeat this process.
What is the 3-hour rule for diabetics? The “three-hour rule” for rapid-acting insulin (aka “Insulin Stacking”) Rapid-acting insulin begins to work about 15 minutes after injection, peaks in about 1 hour, and continues to work for 2 to 4 hours. The three-hour rule prevents “insulin stacking” and a low blood glucose (BG) or hypoglycemia.
Dr. Ahmad Shahzad Founder | Lyallpur Diabetes Foundation Consultant Diabetologist | Educator | Advocate for Preventive Care
Life with diabetes is much longer than the blood sugar level which can affect emotions, relations and daily activities. Being a way to balance nutrition requirements to preserve social relationships and emotional health, diabetes may change the way people relate with their partners, family, and friends. These difficulties should be comprehended to establish empathy, support, and positive communication. This paper discusses the effects of diabetes on relationships and everyday life and includes information about coping with them in a resilient and positive way.
Understanding Diabetes and Its Challenges
Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body has high blood sugar because it doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it makes. This can damage organs and lead to complications like heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Challenges include managing the disease through lifestyle changes, medication, and blood sugar monitoring, as well as overcoming healthcare system inefficiencies and improving patient-provider communication.
What is diabetes?
Core issue: Diabetes is the inability of your body to transport glucose (sugar) in blood to your cells to provide energy.
Role of insulin: Glucose gets into cells with the help of insulin. In diabetes, insulin is either insufficient or is not utilized normally.
Result: The glucose accumulates in the blood resulting into high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Health risks: This may in the long term severely harm the nerves, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and heart.
Common challenges
Managing the condition: This entails the multi-dimensional method of medication, blood glucose, and carbohydrate counting.
Lifestyle changes: Individuals with diabetes have to adopt healthy lifestyles that include healthy weight, balanced diet and regular exercise.
Healthcare access: The coverage of treatment has disparities with less resources in low and middle-income countries.
Communication between patients and providers: Certain patients complain that medical practitioners are not empathetic, disrespect them, or do not involve them in treatment decisions.
Health system inefficiency: The barriers to effective diabetes management may include ineffective systems and caregivers.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
The emotional and psychological effects of diabetes are considerable, such as distress, anxiety, and depression, which are associated with worse health results and complications. Self-management of this condition can become frustrating, angry, and burnout-inducing. These psychological effects are vital to deal with to improve disease control and quality life.
Common emotional and psychological effects
Diabetes distress: A unique emotional burden related to the daily burden of living with the disease.
Depression: It is more prevalent among individuals with diabetes and may cause deteriorated self-management, health, and complications.
Anxiety: There is a lot of worry and fear, which are often about getting the condition under control, such as the fear of hypoglycemia (hypo).
Stress: It is possible to influence the level of blood sugar directly, because stress hormones may lead to sudden increases or decreases.
Other feelings: Individuals can also feel angry, tired, frustrated, sad, guilty, and burned.
The Effect on Family and Romantic Relationships
Diabetes influences relationships because it is a unifying risk factor between partners and families, it affects emotions and health behaviors. Positively, good family and romantic support is connected to improved management and treatment compliance. Nevertheless, bad dynamics, poor communication, or stress may impair the health outcomes of a patient and the quality of the relationship itself.
How Diabetes affects family and romantic relationships
Shared health risks: A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that people having diabetes as partners increase the risk of developing diabetes in their partners because of shared lifestyle, biological, and assortative mating of other risk factors such as BMI and blood pressure.
Emotional and psychological stress: The continual care of diabetes may result in anger, frustration, worry, isolation, and stress in the diabetic, which can cause a strain on the relationship.
Effects on relationship dynamics: According to research on ResearchGate, controlling/overprotective behavior by one of the partners may be reported as negative, whereas invisible support can be more beneficial in enhancing health outcomes.
Shared lifestyle influence: Partners tend to have poor lifestyle habits such as poor diet and lack of exercise, which can be a source of conflict, or a common issue that must be resolved collectively.
How family and relationships can affect diabetes management
Positive effects:
Greater compliance: Social and familial support has been mostly associated with increased adherence to treatment and management plans.
Better outcomes: Favorable family functioning is related to enhanced self-care practices and enhanced glycemic control.
Behavior changes: In cases where one partner undergoes favorable changes in lifestyle, the other partner is likely to do the same.
Negative effects:
Poor outcomes: A low-quality marriage may worsen the results of diabetes and patient management capabilities.
Communication breakdown: Ineffective communication about the disease may result in misunderstanding, frustration and reduced life quality of both partners.
Effective strategies:
Outcome: Involving family members in diabetes education may result in healthier family behaviors and encourage patient self-management.
Couples counseling: A counselor can assist couples to communicate more effectively and make health a common objective which may result in a more organized way of addressing diabetes.
If you have diabetes: Support groups Support groups can also be helpful in minimizing feelings of isolation and offer helpful advice.
Managing Daily Life with Diabetes
Daily living with diabetes requires a regular regimen of healthy eating, exercise, and glucose monitoring, prescribed medication and regulation of stress. Healthy diet involves paying attention to portion size and consuming nutritious foods and reducing sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Exercising on a regular basis may incorporate a balance of aerobic and strength-training exercises and regular majoring can help you know how your body reacts to food and activities.
Diet and nutrition
· Use the plate rule: Make half of your plate with non-starchy veggies, a quarter with lean protein, and the last quarter with healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains or fruit.
· Selectively restrict poor foods: Eat less sweetened beverages, processed items, and high saturated fat foods. Instead of soda, take water and fruit because it is a sweet treat.
· Controlling portions: Pay attention to portions. Use measuring cups or use everyday items such as a deck of cards (meat) or fist (pasta) to estimate portions of food. Keep Away Dehydration: keep hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day.
Monitor your salt consumption: Have salt in moderation of approximately 6 grams (one teaspoon) per day because a lot of the packaged foods have concealed salt. Prepare your own meals to have healthier control of salt.10 tips for healthy eating with diabetes
Physical activity
Goal: 150 each week: At least 150 minutes of an activity of moderate intensity (e.g. brisk walking) at least once a week.
Regularly test blood sugar: You must check your blood sugar level to know what causes it to rise or fall. This knowledge is essential in making changes to your treatment plan.
Take medicine: This is because when you are not feeling well, it is important to take all medications as required whether you feel well or not.
Balance food and medicine: Take care that you have a balance between food and medication. Excess food may result in elevated blood sugar whereas insufficient food may result in excessively low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Stress and mental health
Accept stress: Recognize that being a diabetic can be a stressful experience, and it is only natural to at times feel overwhelmed, angry, or burned out.
Improve coping skills: Learn to deal with stress. In case you are having difficulties, consult your healthcare specialist.
Sleep well: It is recommended to get a good sleep of about 7 to 8 hours a day as it is likely to improve your mood, energy and blood glucose levels.
Final Thoughts
Diabetes covers a lot of life such as personal relationships, daily life but it does not need to restrict the happiness or fulfillment of life. Knowledge, openness, and regular self-care help people and their loved ones to develop stronger relationships and provide a conducive environment. Through patience and optimism toward diabetes, one can have a normal and fulfilling life.
FAQs
How does diabetes affect relationships?
What happens to mood and relationships with diabetes? The process of coping with diabetes can be stressful, and the change in blood sugar levels can also serve as a cause of mood changes. Such factors can put a burden on relationships. Diabetes affects the body by utilizing blood glucose.
How does diabetes impact someone emotionally?
Individuals with diabetes are prone to depression 2-3 times more often than those without diabetes. Only a quarter to half of diabetic individuals with depression are diagnosed and treated. Treatment, however, therapy or both, is often very successful. And untreated, depression tends not to improve, but to deteriorate.
Does diabetes cause anger issues?
Unchecked blood sugar directly influences your emotions; behaviors changes and mood swings occur. Once diagnosed with any chronic illness such as diabetes, a broad range of feelings will also be unsurprising to you: denial and anger, stress, grief, and sadness.
Dr. Ahmad Shahzad Founder | Lyallpur Diabetes Foundation Consultant Diabetologist | Educator | Advocate for Preventive Care
Diabetes is a condition that requires continuous emotional, physical, and social support to live with it. This journey is easier and more rewarding when one can relate with others who have had similar experiences. Diabetes peer support groups provide a secure and understanding environment where individuals can share knowledge. They go through hardships and celebrate victories. These groups are very crucial in enabling individuals to take up control of their health and enhance their quality of life.
Understanding Peer Support Groups
Peer support groups include meetings of people with common experiences to offer mutual aid, emotional support, and understanding. These organizations are rooted in values of respect, collective responsibility, and empathy. It can be a significant asset in dealing with mental illnesses, addiction, or other life problems. Peer support groups provide an opportunity to exchange stories. They can comfort you in the fact that you are not the only one and assist in self-development and recovery.
Key characteristics of peer support groups
Shared experience:
The members have been through such hardships as mental illnesses or alcoholism. It has established a background of understanding and empathy.
Mutual aid:
The first one is to support each other with experiences, to be empathetic, compassionate, and encouraging.
Supportive environment:
Groups provide a secure environment where members exchange their experiences, achievements, and challenges freely.
Beyond clinical models:
Peer support is not grounded in the standard psychiatric constructs but in the empathy of another with emotional and mental suffering.
Focus on recovery and wellness:
Individuals can teach each other, be role models, and promote their recovery and wellness.
Emotional and Psychological Benefits
These groups also offer empowerment, hope, and the development of new coping skills. It provides a supportive environment to talk openly, learn from others, and gain a sense of control.
Emotional benefits
Less isolation: You feel less alone when you contact other people who have gone through the same thing.
Shared understanding: The sense of being very understood by people who have gone through it is an effective source of comfort.
Validation: When others say that their experiences are real and they should not be ashamed of it. It can be a huge relief and can diminish feelings of guilt or alienation.
Hope and empowerment: Seeing other people who have survived the same difficulties can grant hope and a feeling of control, empowerment, and motivation.
Psychological benefits
Better coping abilities: Groups offer a safe environment where it is possible to share feelings and learn new coping strategies through peers.
More self-awareness: Sharing feelings aloud will help them become more real. It result in more awareness and knowledge of what you are feeling.
Knowledge and practical feedback: Members can get knowledge about their condition, get feedback on treatment options, and find new resources in others.
Sense of purpose: These groups may assist individuals in gaining a sense of purpose that serves as a safeguard against life challenges and long-term objectives.
Educational and Practical Support
They provide a space to learn other lived experiences and skills educationally, and in practice, emotional support, a sense of community, and a resource and strategy sharing place. This personal empowerment enables people to gain confidence and self-management skills, which result in improved performance.
Educational support
Sharing knowledge and skills: Members can learn about each other by sharing knowledge, strategies and information about the experiences they share.
Self-efficacy: With the help of peer encouragement, people will develop self-efficacy, having confidence in their ability to cope with their own health and life issues.
Normalizing experiences: The groups are safe spaces to share difficulties and responses, and this makes members realize that their experiences are normal and legitimate.
Collaborative learning: Peer support may serve as a type of collaborative teaching-learning, where members learn and teach one another.
Practical support
Practical support: Members may offer physical support, including resource sharing or advice on system and service navigation.
Developing strength: The reliability of peer support and encouragement assists in developing individual and community strength.
Empowerment and control: Peer support enables people to define their health and well-being and gain greater control over their life.
Technology can offer peer support via online forums, applications and social media groups to individuals living with conditions such as diabetes, amongst the advantages are accessibility, anonymity and global community. Nevertheless, consumers should give privacy priority and ensure that they verify online sources to avoid misinformation and harassment.
Examples of technology in diabetes peer support
Online forums:
Specialized websites, such as the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Community and Diabetes Link, can be used to discuss and ask questions and share experiences.
Mobile apps:
Applications such as the Diabetes forum connect huge groups of people right on the phone of the user.
Social media groups:
Although they are not so organized, these groups give a feeling of community and allow peer-to-peer interaction.
Benefits of virtual support
Accessibility:
Anytime, anyplace support is offered, and this is essential because people with chronic conditions might not have good mobility or access to face-to-face groups.
Anonymity:
It allows users to open and ask some sensitive questions without worrying about being judged, which can be a big plus to individuals who are shy to do the same in a real-life context.
Global reach:
Geographical boundaries are broken as people can connect with other people worldwide who have been experiencing similar things.
Risks and precautions
Privacy:
Care must be taken when sharing personal issues about health on the internet. Users ought to know how their data is utilized and what the privacy settings of their accounts or applications are.
Credible sources:
The data published in Web forums may be different in its accuracy. Before falling into misinformation, it is critical to confirm information with valid sources and medical practitioners to prevent any harm and to make sure that any recommendations are safe and correct.
How to Join or Start a Diabetes Peer Support Group
In order to become a member of a diabetes peer support group, Google identify local or national organizations or use social media sites to find groups. To form a group, refer to a diabetes organization about the way to start and where to locate resources. The two choices will enable you to locate a community where you can experience and get support.
How to join a diabetes support group
Search online: Enter search engines with diabetes support group near me or online diabetes support group to locate both local and online.
Look at national/local organizations: A variety of diabetes organizations, such as Diabetes Australia, Diabetes Canada, and Breakthrough T1D, have online community, support program, and resources.
Use social media: Find closed or private groups on websites such as Facebook to find people with similar experiences in private.
Contact your health provider: Have your doctor or a diabetes educator know of any local support group or be referred to one.
How to start a diabetes support group
Link to a local organization: Contact your state or national diabetes organization to get ideas and resources to start a new group.
Find professional involvement: You can also explore interest in other existing networks, which can also assist you to establish ties and incorporate them in a bigger care plan.
Find resources: Look for resources and examples of how other organizations have set up their own groups, such as those documented on the HSE website.
Plan and promote: Once you have a framework, you can begin to promote the group to your community and gather interested members.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, peer support groups are invaluably valuable to individuals with diabetes since they offer emotional support, learning, and encouragement to adhere to healthy lifestyles. They also fill the disconnects between medical services and normal life, making people have more confidence and encouragement to live with the condition. Physically or virtually, being part of a diabetes peer group can generate a significant impact on addressing physical and emotional health.
FAQs
How to find diabetic friends?
Check to see whether there is a diabetes organization chapter in your area. Locate your local chapter and ask them whether they have events on their webpage. You can also call them to inquire whether they have other contacts with T1D.
What does a diabetes support group do?
We have a diabetes support group which is an emotional and resource-based peer connection group of individuals and caregivers that manage diabetes and pre-diabetes.
What is peer support for type 2 diabetes?
Peer support in diabetes self-management allows patients to engage in mutual knowledge-sharing, collaborative problem-solving, and emotional support for the stresses of dealing with type 2 diabetes.
What is the National Programme for Diabetes?
To prevent and control major NCDs, Government of India has implemented the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) in all States across the country with the focus on strengthening of infrastructure, development of human resource.
*1Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Independent Medical College, Faisalabad. 2Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, AJK Medical College, Muzaffarabad Email ID: hinatahir1126@gmail.com 3Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology University Medical & Dental College, Faisalabad Email ID: Zehra.niazi@tuf.edu.pk 4Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy Akhtar Saeed Medical College, Rawalpindi Email ID: ashi.asadd11@gmail.com 5PGR, FCPS, Department of Physiology Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi Email ID: najamjaved25@gmail.com 6Senior Registrar, Cardiac Surgery, Rawal General and Dental Hospital, Rawalpindi. Email ID: mashhood911@yahoo.com *Corresponding Author: Mutayyaba Majeed, Email ID: mutayyaba.asad@gmail.com Cite this paper as: Mutayyaba Majeed, Hina Munir, Zehra Niazi, Ayesha Asad, Najam-ul-Sehar Javed, Mashhood Shahid Amin Hashmi, (2025) Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction In Hypertensive Patients: A Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Analysis. Journal of Neonatal Surgery, 14,(31s) 1075-1080.
ABSTRACT
Background: Hypertension, the most prevalent cardiovascular disorder, significantly escalates the risks of stroke, myocardial infarction, and renal diseases. It is believed that an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), particularly heightened sympathetic tone and reduced parasympathetic regulation, underlies its pathogenesis. One of the non invasive approaches to study the ANS is the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Objectives: To evaluate autonomic nervous system impairment in hypertensive patients and to evaluate the heart rate variability (HRV); then compare the findings with normal subjects (normotensive) to establish the statistical significance. Study design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and duration of study: July 2024 to December 2024, Independent University Hospital, Faisalabad. Methods: The study was carried out on 100 patients with hypertension, and 100 age matched normotensive controls. A 5 minute ECG and measurement of HRV were made during resting state. Parameters in time-domain and in frequency-domain were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were determined with mean and standard deviation and independent t-tests in order to determine the differences between groups. All comparisons were measured to be statistically important at p < 0.05. Results: One hundred hypertensive patients (mean age: 54.22 9.6 years) and one hundred normotensive controls (mean age:53.72 8.9 years; p = 0.67) were studied. There are also lower HRV indexes; SDNN or Standard Deviation of Normal-to Normal intervals, a key measure of HRV (36.4 12.3 ms vs. 48.7 14.1 ms, p < 0.001) and RMSSD or Root Mean Square of successive Differences (21.1 9.2 ms vs. 31.5 10.7 ms, p < 0.001) in hypertensive subjects. Frequency-domain also indicated lower parasympathetic (HF) and greater sympathetic (LF/HF ratio) modulation comparisons of hypertensive compared to controls (p < 0.05). These results confirm the existence of autonomic alteration among hypertensive patients. Conclusion: A major dysfunction of the autonomic mechanisms related to a low heart rate variability is seen in hypertensive patients. The results show reduced activity of parasympathetic system and the increased sympathetic dominance. The HRV analysis is useful and non-invasive to determine autonomic balance in hypertensive people and can be to help in early detection and risk stratification. The regular use of HRV in the chain of hypertension treatment and management would increase patient-centered approaches.
INTRODUCTION
Autonomic dysfunction is usually linked to hypertension, a major cause of morbidity and mortality related to the cardiovascular system all over the world. ANS is considered a key regulator of the heart rate and blood pressure, and the imbalance of this system may cause a serious impact on the condition of cardiovascular system [1]. One exceptionally good measure of ANS and its variability is heart rate variability (HRV) or the difference in time between successive heart beats. These data on the HRV analysis yield important information about autonomic control of cardiovascular functioning and study the equilibrium between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the Aspin in the hypertensive patients, the deregulation of this autonomic control is often associated with the deterioration of the preservation of HRV, and it is associated with cardiovascular risks and poor prognosis [2]. Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity is usually excessive leading to elevation of heart rate and blood pressure and parasympathetic nervous system activity is suppressed and it takes part in intensifying the hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) situation. It has been demonstrated in many works that a low HRV leads to increased probability of developing cardiovascular incidents like myocardial infarction, stroke and arrhythmias and therefore analysis of HRV makes a significant contribution in the care of hypertensive patients. Studies of the HRV in hypertensive patients have found that decreased HRV could be a prognostic marker of unfavorable cardiovascular events [3]. Besides, enhancement of HRV by making lifestyle changes (e.g. physical activity and stress reduction) as well as pharmacological conditions (e.g. beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors) can result in a more favorable blood pressure and decreased risk of CVD. On the one hand, the strong correlation between HRV and hypertension is established; on the other hand, further study is required to identify some of the definite mechanisms leading to autonomic dysfunction in patients with hypertension and the long-term effects on cardiovascular health [4,5]. In our paper, we are going to examine HRV in patients with essential hypertension by means of the time-domain analysis, frequency-domain and non-linear analysis [6]. We hope that our study into the relationship between HRV and hypertension will contribute to increased insight into the importance of an autonomic dysfunction in hypertensive patients and its possible impact on the definition of the treatment strategy used to support cardiovascular outcomes [7].
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study which included 100 patients with hypertension who had a diagnosis of essential hypertension. The participants were chosen in a tertiary care hospital and undertaken thorough cardiovascular examinations. HRV recordings were conducted with the help of a 24-hour Halter monitor. The SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF and LF/HF ratios were computed in the time- and frequency-domain, respectively. Analysis Non-linear analysis was conducted using Poincare plot, the entropy. The analysis of data was performed by SPSS 24.0 and different levels of hypertension and HRV parameters were compared. Study design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and duration of study: January 2024 to July 2024, Independent University Hospital, Faisalabad. Ethical Approval Statement: The study received authorization by the institutional review board. Informed consent was taken on paper and all participants gave their written consent. Inclusion Criteria: The study was based on patients with essential hypertension who were aged between 30 to 70 years. Exclusion Criteria: The patients that had secondary hypertension, arrhythmia, or had a known cardiovascular disease were not included in the study. Data Collection: To measure intervals of heart beats, data were obtained by attachment of a 24-hour Halter monitor. Medical records were used to collect clinical data in terms of age, gender, and medical history. Statistical Analysis: The SPSS version 24.0 was used in the analysis of data. Comparisons of the parameters of HRV were based on descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and ANOVA of the hypertensive subgroups. Results: The study included one hundred hypertensive patients, having an average age of 55.3 +/ 8.2 years. Analysis of HRV indicated that the mean SDNN of hypertensive patients was much lower than that of healthy participants (mean = 32.1 a 10.5 ms, pHs < 0.05) and the same was applicable to RMSSD (mean = 20.4 a 5.6 ms, pHs < 0.05). The analysis in the frequency domain indicated lower high-frequency components (HF; mean = 550 +/- 120 ms 2) with the higher ratio of LF/HF (mean =2.5 +/- 0.9), which is symptoms of sympathetic dominance. Compared with hypertensive patients, non-linear analysis also showed that the entropy levels were also lower indicating that there was less complexity in the heart rates of hypertensive patients. These results were similar between those patients with mild hypertension and severe hypertension. Moreover, the parameters of HRV were negatively related to systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.42 and r = -0.38, p < 0.01, respectively). The findings indicate that low HRV is linked with the extremity of hypertension and could be a causative marker of cardiovascular risks among these individuals.
DISCUSSION
High blood pressure is a major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases and may be accompanied by dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Heart rate and blood pressure is the autonomic control that is necessary to support cardiovascular homeostasis [8]. The study objective was to assess the heart rate variability (HRV) among patients with hypertension to gain an indicator of autonomic dysfunction. The results of our investigations demonstrate the presence of notable decreases in the HRV of hypertensive patients as an indicator in comparison to the healthy control group and the direct correlation of the parameters of the heart rate variability and the values of the blood pressure. These findings correlate with a number of studies, which have addressed the correlation between HRV and hypertension. Relation of hypertension and low HRV has been documented well in the literature [9, 10]. A recent study by Srinivasan et al. (2012) showed that patients with essential hypertension had markedly reduced HRV (accompanied by significant decrease of both the time- and frequency-domain parameters) [11]. Their results implied that the autonomic dysfunction that prevailed among these individuals is mainly attributed to the factors of sympathetic hyper activity and parasympathetic withdrawal [12]. These findings are backed by our study, as well, with decreased SDNN, RMSSD components, and HF component, demonstrating the lower rate of the parasympathetic activity, and higher sympathetic tone, in hypertensive patients. Regarding the analysis in the frequency domain, our study identified that the ratio LF/HF was higher among the patients with hypertension, which shows a shift in the dominance to sympathetic [13]. This concurs with the findings of Mania et al. (2007) who indicated that the increased LF/HF ratio is a prevalent condition among patients who are hypertensive and that such practice could also be used to predict poor cardiovascular outcomes [14]. In the same line, Shaffer and Ginsberg (2017) argued that LF/HF ratio is a sensitive indicator to evaluate roles of sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of ANS especially in relation to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension [15]. Also consistent with our study is the work of Kuok et al. (2009) who performed an analysis on the autonomic dysfunction in a group of hypertensive subjects and concluded that the lower the HRV the poorer the prognosis and the higher the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, namely arrhythmias and heart failure occurred. Muller et al. (2011) also showed that lower HRV was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with chronic hypertension enhancing clinical relevance of HRV as the indicator of cardiovascularrisk [16].It has been suggested that in hypertensive individuals, the decrease in HRV is a result of long-term changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic tone [16]. The chronic hypertension may cause structural and functional alterations of the autonomic centers of brain and brainstem, as well as hypothalamus. The changes can lead to dysbalance between over activity of the sympathetic nervous system and withdrawal of the parasympathetic nervous, as observed by Thayer et al. (2010), who proposed that any disorder in the autonomic nervous system is main determinative factor in the path physiology of hypertension and other medical states of the heart and circulatory system [17,18].Also reported, HRV turns out to be independent predictor of complications associated with hypertension. In another study by Liao et al. (1996), the risk of developing of coronary artery diseases in hypertensive patients was associated with lower HRV, despite the impact of the usual risk factors like age, cholesterol level and smoking habits. It is evidence in the hypothesis that HRV can be applied as an early risk stratification tool in hypertensive individuals.
CONCLUSION
This study emphasizes that there was a large minimization of heart rate variability (HRV) in hypertensive people that shows failure of some measure on autonomy. HRV may become a useful instrument in evaluation of cardiovascular risk and evaluation of treatment outcomes in hypertension. Better HRV can lead to the improved blood pressure levels and lower cardiovascular risks.
LIMITATIONS
The cross-sectional design of this study does not allow determining the causation between lowered HRV and hypertension. Also, sample size and absence of long term follow up can limit the generalisablility of discovery. Medication and lifestyle were other factors that were not exclusively controlled, and they may affect HRV results. Recommendations Future studies must focus on to investigate how HRV can influence hypertension development long term and whether or not the interventions are successful in rescuing the situation where the autonomic function is failing. Examination of mechanisms in different forms of hypertension with the inclusion of genetic and environmental factors may contribute to a better understanding and provision of a more individual approach to treatment.
ABBREVIATIONS
HRV – Heart Rate Variability
ANS – Autonomic Nervous System
SBP – Systolic Blood Pressure
DBP – Diastolic Blood Pressure
LF – Low-Frequency
HF – High-Frequency
SDNN – Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal intervals
RMSSD – Root Mean Square of Successive Differences
MACE – Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events
ESC – European Society of Cardiology
ESH – European Society of Hypertension Disclaimer: Nil Conflict of Interest: Nil Funding Disclosure: Nil Authors Contribution Concept & Design of Study: Mutayyaba Majeed, Zehra Niazi, , Mashhood Shahid Amin Hashmi Drafting: Hina Munir, Ayesha Asad Data Analysis: Hina Munir, Zehra Niazi Critical Review: Mutayyaba Majeed, Najam-ul-Sehar Javed Final Approval of version: Mutayyaba Majeed, Hina Munir, , Mashhood Shahid Amin Hashmi
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Sundus Bukhari1, Mutayyaba Majeed2, Maria Liaqat3, Sana Shakeel1, Maria Muddassir4*,Faheem Hadi5, Tahir Maqbool11Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore. Lahore, 2Department of Physiology, Independent Medical College. Faisalabad,Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medicine and Dentistry, 3The University of Lahore. Lahore,4M. Islam Medical & Dental College, Gujranwala, 5Faculty of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. Bahawalpur.
Abstract
Background: Worldwide, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health concern. Twelve weeks following treatment completion, the persistent virologic response is known as SVR. The DAA (Direct-acting antiviral therapy) remains a challenge.Objective: To determine the demographic and biochemical parameters responsible for the failure of antiviral therapy (sofosbuvir and daclatasvir) associated with hepatitis C sustained viral response.Methods:Thiscross-sectional studyis based on Electronic Medical records online through a portal provided by the Government of Punjab Pakistan between December 2023 and July 2024. Data of 50 Hepatitis C screened positive patients were registered after theapproval from The University of Lahore’s ethical review board. The Patients underwent biochemical Investigations and HCV RNAPCR. Patients were given three months of combined therapy of Daclatasvir 60 mg and Sofosbuvir 400 mg. Monthly follow-ups were taken and Sustained virology response (SVR12) was determined, whereby SVR is the sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing treatment.Results:Significant association has been found between DAA treatment and creatinine level, hemoglobin level and patient status. Demographically, mean age was 16.6±0.5 years, 19/50 (38.0%) were male and 31/50 (62.0%) were females. Concerning respondents, 66.0% were cured and 34.0% had a relapse. SVR was achieved in 66% cases. HCV patients responded well to a combined antiviral therapy.Conclusion:A strong correlation existed between DAA treatment, patient status, hemoglobin level, and creatinine level. Combined antiviral therapy showed good results for achieving SVR rates.Key words:Hepatitis C virus, DAA therapy, infection, daclatasvir, sofosbuvir.
Introduction
Despite widespread advocacy regarding the prevention of Hepatitis C and public health programs, the incidence of Hepatitis C is rising. HCV is a single-stranded RNA virus in the Flaviviridae family.1In adverse cases, HCV can cause permanent damage to the liver, including liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma and sometimes even death.2 The primary transmission route for HCV dissemination is exposure to contaminated blood products or blood, unsafe injection practices and occupational exposure.3Hepatitis C infection occurs all around the globe.4,5According to the WHO report, almost 3% of the total population of the world has been infected with hepatitis C and more than 180 million people are chronic carriers of HCV virus and at increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis.4,5Recently, the DAA use for HCV treatment has led to a significant improvement in the rates of SVR in patients with genotype 1 HCV infection.6However, it can lead to a resistant virus selection when DAA is used alone. The NS5A protein, the NS5B RNA-dependent RNA. polymerase, and the NS3/4A protease are the three primary viral targets that are now the focus of HCV replication inhibition.7This rational combination have overcome the drugresistance challenge and improved the efficacy and safety profile with fewer adverse effect and drug-drug interaction.8The government of Pakistan has started national and provincial hepatitis prevention and control initiatives, which include screening for and treating HCV-infected individuals. However, the frequency of HCV is higher in spite of all these measures.9However, data are lacking on the effectiveness of these interventions; therefore, our aim is to investigate the possible demographic and biochemical parameters responsible for the failure of antiviral therapy associated with hepatitis C sustained viral response.9In Pakistan, the first-line treatment has been changed to the new DAA comprises Daclatasvir and sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin.This has improved patient adherence and have a better safety profile.10Daclatasvir is an HCV NS5A replication complex inhibitor that is used in combination with sofosbuvir, with or without ribavirin. The 12-week regimen of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir in apatient with genotype 1 and 3 HCV infection has shown a high SVR, irrespective of prior treatment experience.11The primary objective of this study is to identify the biochemical and demographic factors that contribute to the failure of antiviral treatment in relation to the sustained viral response in hepatitis C.
Methods
It was a cross-sectional study and Non-probability sampling technique was used to collect samples. The data of 50 Hepatitis C screened positive patients were registered on ElectronicMedical records online through a portal provided by the Government of Punjab Pakistan between December 2023 and July 2024. Informed consent was taken from patients or patient attendants. Demographic data was taken on the questionnaire. The study includedpatients 18 to 60 years of age who were Seropositive for HCV antibodies, HCV genotype 1 or 2 or 3 infections, patients with prior treatment and who will be confirmed failure during or after treatment with Daclatasvir and Sofosbuvir, patients havingAST toPlatelet ratio index (APRI)of ≤2, and who were diagnosed Cases of Chronic liver disease. Patients having chronic liver disease other than HCV infection, critically ill patients and those having co-infection with HIV or Hepatitis B virus were excluded from this study.A total of 80 HCV patients were referred patients from Hospital OPD and were screened under supervision on Rapid Diagnostic Kits (RDT). Hepatitis C screened positive patients were registered on Electronic Medical records online through a Portal provided by the Government of Punjab Pakistan. The Patients underwent biochemical Investigations like Hemoglobin, Liver function tests, Renal function tests, PT, and APTT. The patient’s sample for HCV RNA PCR was taken and sent to Government Punjab Headoffice Lab. Following the collection of PCR reports, the patients were given three (3) months of DAA (Direct Antiviral Agents) which will include Daclatasvir 60 mg and Sofosbuvir 400 mg.Monthly follow-ups was taken which include General body response andbiochemical tests like CBC and LFT. PCR will be taken after three months of End Treatment response (SVR12).The data was analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean (S.E.M). The statistically significant value accepted with p<0.05. Relative results of all three groups were obtained and subject to t-test, and anova as per requirement.
Results
In this study, a data of 50 participants have been analysed. Frequency distribution of respondents regarding different demographic characteristics is given in Table-1. Mean age was 16.6±0.5 years. 17 (34.0%) respondents were of age less than or equal to 40 years, 18 (36.0%) were from 41 years to 50 years and 15 (30.0%) were of age greater than 50 years. Out of 50 respondents, 19 (38.0%) were male and 31 (62.0%) were females. Among respondents, 33 (66.0%) were cured and 17 (34.0%) were relapse. The SVR test showed that out of 50 patients, SVR was achieved in 66% cases.
The association between SVR and demographic variables has been determined by using the Pearson Chi square test. No significant association has been found between age of the participant andSVR (p=0.198). This means that there is no effect of age in SVR detection. No significant relationship was found between SVR and gender of the patient (p=0.806). This shows that SVR (detected or not detected) and gender of the respondents were independent. Significant association has been found between SVR and patient status (<0.001). Overall, no significant relationships have been found between age, socioeconomic status, gender, marital status and SVR(Table-2).
Two sample T test was applied to check the difference between patients where SVR was detected or not detected. In 33 patients SVR was notdetected and in 17 patients SVR was detected. With respect to urea in the patients, it can be concluded that the mean difference between SVR not-detected and SVR detected patients is non-significant. Hb value for patients where SVR was not-detected found higher. As p-value >0.05, therefore, we concluded that the PCR value in both groups was statistically non-significant(Table-3). According to the study’s findings, HCV patients responded effectively to combination therapy consisting of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir. Sixty-six percent of the participants in this trial had eradication of HCV successfully.
Discussion
Chronic hepatitis C infection is a major public health issue in Pakistan. It is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity associated with liver disease. It is believed that HCV-infected patients are more prone to failure of treatment. While the issue related to the efficacy of DAA treatment in HCV-infected patients has been explored extensively. Identifying the predictors of HCV treatment outcomes before the DAA treatment initiation is important in finding high-risk patients and alerting healthcare personnel to form a strategy to address treatment barriers. Identifying predictors of treatment outcomes help in reducing healthcare cost by preventing unnecessary retreatment and public health outcomes related to unattained SVR.A few studies only found the factors that affect the treatment outcome. In this study, 50 patients with genotype 1, 2 and 3 were enrolled and were treated with daclatasvir and sofosbuvir. The treatment duration was 12 weeks in treatment-experienced patients. The findings of this study reveal that sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir combination therapy worked well for HCV patients. In this study, 66% of patients have achieved successful HCV eradication. These findings are in accordance with the study carried out by Fontaine et al, in which a high SVR rate have been achieved in a patient given combination therapy of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir. In another study carried out in Egypt, more than 18000 patients suffering from HCV infection have achieved the SVR-12 rate of 95%.12An important finding of this study is that host-related factors that affect treatment outcomes, such as gender, age, marital status, and socioeconomic status weresignificant in this study cohort. Regarding age, only a few previous studies have shown the association between age and SVR rates in DAA regimens. The similar findings have been found in a study in which albumin level, age and gender are independent factors with DAA treatment.13In some studies, very little association between age and SVR rates has been observed.14This study failed to determine any significant difference between SVR and AST, ALT, albumin level, urea, prothrombin time and APRI score. This is inconsistent with the findings of yet another study whereby a significant difference has been found between platelet counts and SVR.15This comes in the same line with previous studies but different from the findings in which no significant difference has been found between platelet count and SVR.16The study shows that the sofosbuvir and daclatasvir combined therapy provided high rates of cure. This finding is consistent with the study conducted in which the DAA regimen proves to be effective with high cure rates and adverse effect with low incidence.17This finding is also in line with the study carried out by Pol et al. in which it is demonstrated that sofosbuvir and daclatasvir combination therapy had high antiviral potency.
The finding shows that a significant difference is found betweencreatinine and SVR. Previous studies also show that creatinine levels are significantly lower in individuals who show treatment failure. This finding is consistent with the previous studies’ findings that haemoglobin is an important predictor of DAA regimen.22For example, in one retrospective study carried out on 152 patients with HCV infection, almost 15% experienced anemia.19The findings have shown that Hb level before the treatment of DAA has no impact on virologic response but is associated with increased serum creatinine.23The finding of this study shows no significant difference between albumin level and SVR rate. This finding is not in line with the previous studies in which it was found that higher albumin is related to the achievement of SVR.20Another important finding of this study is that Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir combination therapy has found to be effective in patients with genotype 3 HCV infection.21There were few limitations to this research study. First, this study uses the secondary data from the hospital department, and thus, not all variables were available for analysis. Another limitation of this study is the small sample size. More comprehensive data should be obtained for in depth mechanism and making clear interpretation regarding the current association.
Conclusion
Age, gender, marital status and socioeconomic status have been found to be independent factors in achieving SVR rate. The combined daclatasvir and sofosbuvir regimen are recommended in treating genotype 1, 2 and 3HCV-infected patients. Based on the findings of this study, combined sofosbuvir and daclatasvir treatment found to have favorable outcomes of achieving SVR rates in patients with chronic HCV infection.
Funding: None.
Availability of Data: The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Ethical Approval: The ethical review board of University of Lahore’s approved the study via letter no.IMBB/BBBC/22/11.
Conflict of Interest: None declared
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