Sex differences in Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Depression and Self-Care Activities in Type 2 Diabetes with Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Purpose: This study was to investigate the sex differences in risk of cardiovascular disease(CVD), depression and self-care activities in type 2 diabetes with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: The descriptive correlational design was conducted using a convenient sample. One hundred and twenty-nine diabetic patients with metabolic syndrome were recruited in a university hospital. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, Students’ t-test, one way ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 12.0.

Results: The risk of CVD in diabetic patients with metabolic syndrome indicated a significantly negative correlation to self-care activities and age, and positive correlation to waist_C, SBP, DBP and TG. The metabolic syndrome is associated with an approximate 1.7-fold increase in the relative risk in CVD in diabetic women. The main significant predictors influencing CVD risk of diabetes with metabolic syndrome were age, waist_C, SBP and TG, which explained about 29.7%.

Conclusion: These results indicate that patients with diabetes with metabolic syndrome with a high degree of waist_C, SBP and TG are likely to be high in risk of CVD.