The effect of education and self-monitoring of blood glucose on glycosylated hemoglobin in type I diabetes. A controlled 18-month trial in a representative population.
The influence on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1) of formal education as compared with self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) was studied in a randomized 18-month trial. All adult type I diabetics in a community were identified. Forty-one of these patients had had diabetes for 20 years or less. Thirty-seven patients were included in the study and finally randomized into four groups. Ten patients received individual formal education followed by SMBG, eight patients were instructed in SMBG without pre-education, nine patients were given only formal education and 10 patients made up a reference group. Education did not improve the mean HbA1 values. SMBG resulted in a decrease by 2% in HbA1, from 12 to 10% (p less than 0.05). The final HbA1 level, however, did not differ significantly between any of the groups. SMBG was accepted by 80% of the patients. The liability to hypoglycemia was about equal in the four groups. It was concluded that SMBG, but not education, improved metabolic control to a certain degree.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006029:Glycosuria / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011934:Reagent Strips
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D011934:Reagent Strips