Factors Associated with Glycemic Control among Type 2 Diabetes Patients on Ayurveda Therapy

Introduction: Globally, one in 10 adults is living with diabetes and nearly 40% remain undiagnosed making it a silent killer. India's traditional medical system, Ayurveda, has been practiced for thousands of years. As the treatment of Ayurveda has a high acceptability in the Indian subcontinent, it is commonly used for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present study is planned to identify and explore the variables related to glycemic control in T2DM patients receiving Ayurvedic treatment. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 subjects were studied in cross-section taking into consideration the inclusion and exclusion criteria and selected through convenience sampling. Study subjects included patients of T2DM on Ayurveda therapy irrespective of their duration of therapy and disease. Ethical permission was taken and data collected after due consent from the study subjects. Results: About 40% of the patients did have a family history of T2DM with a first-degree relative. The mean age of diagnosis was early with the history of two or more affected family members. A significant association was observed between gender and glycemic levels. Age and duration of illness also had a significant association with HbA1c levels among the subjects. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the study that the key features associated with diabetic control among patients on Ayurveda therapy are mainly the family history, age at diagnosis and thereby the duration of illness, current age and gender of subjects.