Diabetic neuropathy is one of the main complications related to diabetes mellitus (DM), which increases the risk of disabilities such as foot ulceration and amputations. Neuropathic pain, in turn, is often present in neuropathy and is characterized by a disturbance to the peripheral nervous system due to irregular activation of the nociceptive pathway, leading to functional impairment and quality of life. Therefore, therapies that help minimize the repercussions of pain and prevent the progression of diabetic neuropathy are relevant.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a cardiovascular rehabilitation protocol on the quality of life and attitude towards coping with the disease of patients with diabetic neuropathic pain.

This is a case series study carried out between March and November 2022, involving people with diabetic neuropathic pain who participated in a cardiovascular rehabilitation protocol at a hospital in the city of Fortaleza/CE. The study complied with all ethical precepts. General data were collected from the participants, such as age, education, and type of DM. An evaluation was performed before and after training, with the application of The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Diabetes Attitude Questionnaire (ATT-19) questionnaires, which assess quality of life and attitude of the patient facing diabetes, respectively. For the statistical significance of the data, p<0.05 was established.

The sample consisted of 9 participants, all diagnosed with type 2 DM and diabetic neuropathic pain, 7 (77.8%) female and 2 (22,2%) male, with a mean age of 59.1±10 years and 55,6% with only elementary school (complete or incomplete). Comparing the before and after, a statistically significant improvement was observed in the domains functional capacity (p=0.006), physical aspect (p=0.001), vitality (p=0.014), emotional aspect (p=0.005), mental health (p=0.025), and improvement in the ATT-19 score (p=0.038), showing a positive attitude towards the disease.

A physical training protocol seems to be effective in improving different domains of quality of life observed by the SF-36, as well as the attitude of patients in coping with diabetes, showing an important contribution to the psychological and emotional aspects of people with DM. However, new studies with a more robust sample are valid for a broader analysis.

The data demonstrate the relevance of cardiovascular rehabilitation in the health of patients with diabetes, with its benefits widely known, with emphasis here on improving quality of life, self-esteem, and mental health, serving as an incentive for the implementation of rehabilitation programs in different health units