Palliative care in patients with diabetes mellitus: integrative review

Objective: To synthesize scientific publications related to palliative care for patients with Diabetes Mellitus. Method: Integrative Review guided by the question “‘what is the influence of palliative care on the comfort, quality of life and glycemic control of patients with DM1 and DM2?”. Articles published in the last ten years (2013-2023), in 8 libraries and databases, were reviewed. Results: After searching and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 6,443 were found and, after the screening and eligibility steps, 3 were included for analysis. Four thematic classes emerged: Reluctance and taboo in Palliative Care; Glycemic control and quality of life; Family and professional involvement; Reception and Health Care Networks in the context of Diabetes Mellitus. Conclusion: It is emphasized how beneficial early adherence to palliative care can be for a diabetic patient, aiming for better comfort and quality of life. Some factors limited the referral of these patients to palliative care: patient and family acceptance, resource limitations in palliative care programs and difficulties in pathological prognosis. Encouraging research related to this topic would significantly strengthen the debate on effective reception and better monitoring in palliative care.