Dr Minoo Motaghi, Dr Behzad Hamedani, Dr Parvaneh Khorasani, Mr Ahmad Bahrami,
Volume 26, Issue 1 (April & May 2023)
Abstract
Introduction: Today, the increasing prevalence of diabetes and its complications in the elderly is one of the most challenging problems in the health sector. One of the most important strategies for managing diabetes in the elderly is teaching self-care behaviors, which requires competent nurses in the field of diabetes education. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of empowering nurses on self-care and HbA1c control of elderly people with type 2 diabetes living in nursing homes.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted as a single group on 32 nurses and 30 elderly people with type 2 diabetes residing in nursing homes by convenience sampling. Nurses participated in a one-day empowerment workshop on type 2 diabetes. Data collection tools were a researcher-made questionnaire of workshop content to measure nurses' empowerment, Tobert and Glasgow self-care questionnaire and laboratory index HbA1c for the elderly. Data were analyzed using Spss version 20 at the 0.05 level. The present research has been registered with the ethics code IR.IAU.KHUISF.REC.1398.190 in the Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University - Isfahan Branch (Khorasgan).
Results: Based on the findings, there was a significant difference between nurses' empowerment after the workshop compared to before (P=0.001). The mean scores of elderly before and three months after nurses' empowerment were significant in terms of self-care behaviors (P=0.000) and HbA1c index (P=0.000).
Conclusions: The results showed that the empowerment of nurses has desirable potential to change the outcomes of self-care in elderly people with type 2 diabetes resident in nursing homes, and by focusing on the approach of empowering nurses, positive steps can be taken in the management of diabetes and HbA1c of this group.
Afsaneh Talaei, Fatemeh Rafiei, Glonaz Motamedi, Ali Chehrei,
Volume 28, Issue 2 (4-2025)
Abstract
Introduction: Thyroid nodules are highly prevalent. The role of insulin resistance in thyroid nodule formation has recently gained attention. While several studies have explored the relationship between metformin and insulin resistance, limited research has assessed the effect of metformin therapy on thyroid nodule volume and number. This study investigated the effect of metformin on the size and number of thyroid nodules.
Methods: A total of 240 euthyroid women with thyroid nodules were divided into four groups. Group 1 received levothyroxine 100 μg/day, Group 2 received metformin 500 mg twice daily, Group 3 received a combination of both drugs for three months, and Group 4 served as the control group with no treatment. Thyroid ultrasound was performed at baseline and after three months. Statistical analyses included the Kruskall–Wallis, Wilcoxon, and Chi-square tests, examined the differences of the size of thyroid nodules and the mean of thyroid hormones levels between groups, for Each group included 60 people and to compare the percentage of differences between the groups, respectively. Also P value less than 0.05 was considered meaningful.
Results: Results showed no statistically significant differences in thyroid hormone levels after treatment among the three groups except the levothyroxine group. Additionally, only the levothyroxine group showed a significant post-treatment decrease in TSH and increase in T4. Thyroid nodule size significantly decreased in the levothyroxine group and the levothyroxine-metformin combination group compared to the metformin-alone and control groups.
Conclusions: This study indicates that metformin does not reduce the size of thyroid nodules, contradicting studies suggesting its potential antineoplastic effects on the thyroid. However, the study duration may be insufficient for definitive conclusions, necessitating further high-quality studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods.
