Physical activity reduces the risk for hospitalizations in patients with type 2 diabetes

The purpose of this study is to examine factors and variables associated with hospitalizations in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This is a 2-year follow-up study of 145 patients (87 women/58 men), mean age 55.0 ± 3.3 (40 to 60). At baseline, comorbidity severity was evaluated by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), depressive symptoms by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II), sleep quality by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, daytime sleepiness by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and levels of physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Arterial hypertension (74 %), cardiovascular pathology (30 %), and stroke (10 %) were found at baseline. After 2 years, eight cases (6 %) developed a new stroke. At baseline, 70 % (N = 102) of patients had a sedentary life, and 30 % (N = 43) were irregularly active. Two years later, the number of patients with a sedentary life decreased to 52 % (N = 76), and an increase of irregularly active (35 %, N = 51) and active patients (13 %, N = 18; p < 0.005) was observed. Twenty-four individuals (16 %) reported at least one hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of hypertension and lower physical activity status (IPAQ levels) were predictors of hospitalizations (OR = 0.34, CI 0.14–0.85, p = 0.02); lower physical activity status remained significant in the presence of hypertension (OR = 0.33, CI 0.13–0.84, p = 0.02). In conclusion, higher physical activity status is an independent predictor of lower hospitalizations in T2DM proving that exercising is an important strategy not only to reduce health care costs but also to improve the human burden of hospitalizations for the patients.