Measuring possible effect on health-related quality of life by tactile massage or relaxation in patients with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to study the effect of tactile massage versus relaxation exercises on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with type 2 diabetes, at primary-health-care centres in Stockholm county.


METHODS
The study was carried out as a parallel-arm clinical trial. Patients with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c of 6-8%, aged 35-75, with oral anti-diabetic treatment were included. In all, 26 and 27 attendants in the TM and relaxation group, respectively, entered the study and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The attendants were offered one weekly session of TM or the use of relaxation exercises at least once weekly for a total of 10 weeks.


METHODS
HRQoL was measured using the SF-36 questionnaire at baseline, after 10 weeks of therapy and 3 months after the completion of the study. Owing to multiple comparisons the level of statistical significance was set at p<0.01, and values of p>0.01 and <0.05 were regarded as borderline values.


RESULTS
One difference over time between the groups was reaching a borderline value in favour of the relaxation group, i.e. the scale of "Role functioning, physical" (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the findings in this study, we conclude that stress-relieving techniques with TM or relaxation CD have limited, if any, beneficial effects on health-related quality of life in Swedish-born patients with type 2 diabetes. We cannot, however, rule out that specific patient groups with higher levels of perceived stress could show benefits with this kind of treatment.
The Center for Family and Community Medicine, Dept of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. per.wandell@ki.se
Per E
PE
Wändell
Axel C
AC
Carlsson
Catharina
C
Gåfvels
Katarina
K
Andersson
Lena
L
Törnkvist
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires