The relationship between fear of hypoglycemia and health-related quality of life in diabetic patients with heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) frequently experience hypoglycemia, which has significant implications for the possibility of cardiovascular complications. The relationship between fear of hypoglycemia (FoH) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in diabetic heart patients was investigated in this study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive study, and 260 diabetic inpatients with heart disease were enrolled. The "Data Gathering Form", the "Hypoglycemia Fear Survey" (HFS), and the "Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)" were used to collect research data. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 63.46±11.73 (min 21-max 90) years, and 76.2% of them had type 2 DM. The mean FoH total score of the patients was 70.87±8.03 (min 45-max 113). The mean FoH behavior sub-dimension score was 35.41±4.07 (min 20-max 57), and the mean worry sub-dimension score was 35.55±5.26 (min 20-max 61). The mean total FoH score was found to be significantly higher in patients of 65 years of age and older, not working, with diabetes duration over 10 years, with HbA1c <7%, and with microvascular complications (p<0.05). Of the sub-dimensions of SF-36, "mental health" had the lowest mean score. There was a significant but very weak negative correlation between the other sub-dimensions of SF-36, "physical functioning", "role physical", "role emotional" and "vitality", with the FoH total score. CONCLUSIONS: FoH and HRQoL in diabetic patients with heart disease were found to be negatively correlated in this study. Prevention of hypoglycemia will improve patients' HRQoL by reducing their anxiety and fears.

Effect of a moustache on nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonisation and nasal cytology results in men.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the results of nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage and nasal cytology in men with and without a moustache. METHODS: The study group comprised 118 adult men with a moustache, and the control group consisted of 123 adult men without a moustache. Samples were taken from the participants' right nasal cavity for cytology and from the left nasal cavity for microbiology. RESULTS: The results for S aureus were positive in 19.5 per cent (n = 23) of participants with a moustache and in 20.3 per cent (n = 25) of men without a moustache. This difference was not significant (p > 0.05). However, nasal cytology revealed rich eosinophil clusters in participants with a moustache. CONCLUSION: The presence or absence of a moustache had no effect on nasal S aureus colonisation. However, further research is needed to understand whether the presence of a moustache increases the risk of allergic or non-allergic rhinitis.