Effects of relaxation therapy on patients with type I diabetes mellitus.

We investigated the effect of treatment with biofeedback-associated progressive muscle relaxation on 10 patients with poorly controlled type I diabetes mellitus compared with 10 equivalent untreated patients. In contrast to previous studies of patients with type II diabetes, no improvement occurred in glucose tolerance after 1 wk of intensive in-hospital relaxation training or in glycohemoglobin and total daily insulin dose after 6 wk of practicing relaxation techniques at home. This and other studies suggest that this type and amount relaxation therapy may not be as useful for enhancing blood glucose control in patients with type I diabetes as in those with type II diabetes. However, subpopulations of type I diabetic patients who have demonstrated stress-induced hyperglycemia should be further investigated.