Relationship Between Glycemic Control, Psychological Health, and Lower Extremity Functional Impairments in Post-stroke Diabetic Patients

Background Understanding the interplay of the psychological and physical challenges faced by post-stroke diabetic patients is essential for developing comprehensive treatment strategies to improve their overall well-being and quality of life. Limited studies examine the association between the variables hence, our study aims to determine the relationship between glycemic control, psychological health, and lower extremity functional impairments in post-stroke diabetic patients. Methods A correlational study was conducted involving 214 post-stroke diabetic participants including both genders aged 50 years and above, recruited in the rehabilitation department of hospitals in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The data collected from the patients included glycemic control (HbA1c, BSR, and BSF), psychological health assessment using DASS-21, and lower extremity functionality assessment using FMA-LE. Correlation and multiple regression were performed between the variables using IBM Statistics SPSS v 25.0. Results Out of 214 participants, the frequency of males was n = 119 (55.6%), and females was n = 95 (44.5%). The mean HbA1c calculated was 10.88 ± 1.37 mmol/mol. A positive and significant (p < 0.05) correlation between glycemic control and psychological health was depicted except for BSR with stress. Similarly, a negative and significant (p < 0.05) correlation was found between glycemic control and lower extremity functionality except for BSF with sensation. The correlation between glycemic control and lower extremity functionality showed a negative and significant (p < 0.05) relationship except for anxiety with sensation and passive joint motion, and stress with motor function. Additionally, a strong association was observed between glycemic control with anxiety, stress, and sensation, and between depression and lower extremity. Conclusion This study reveals a complex interaction between glycemic control, lower extremity functionality, and psychological health. Findings indicate that poor glycemic control is associated with increased psychological distress and impaired lower extremity function. Lower extremity impairments can eventually lead to poor psychological health in post-stroke diabetic patients.