LAUSR

Abstract Background The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries like India. The gastro-hepatic pack (GHP) is one of the most commonly used hydrotherapeutic treatments traditionally used in management of diabetes. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence examining what precise effect on blood glucose levels (BGL) this treatment may have. The present study examines the effect of GHP on BGL in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Materials and methods Eight T2DM patients aged 51.25 ± 5.44 years were recruited. A single group repeated measures design was used to examine the effect of GHP on BGL. All subjects underwent a single session of GHP for 20 min. Random BGL was assessed before, during and after (immediate, 15 min and 30 min) the intervention, using a continuous glucose monitoring sensor. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures of analysis of variance with post-hoc analysis and Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons with the use of statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), version 16. Results Results of the study showed a significant reduction in BGL, immediately (p = 0.013) and 15 min (p = 0.006) after GHP application compared to the baseline value. Conclusion Results of the study suggest that 20 min of GHP could be considered as a useful complementary therapy in management of BGL in patients with T2DM.