title: Self-monitoring blood glucose--non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in Australian general practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Benefits of self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (T2D) are questionable. We investigated proportions of general practitioner (GP) patients who self-monitor, and associations between SMBG, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sub-studies of the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) program, involving 5 730 patients from 194 GPs. Outcomes Type 2 diabetes prevalence; HbA1c; BMI; blood glucose (BG) monitoring routine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of non-insulin-treated T2D was 6.7%. Mean HbA1c level was 7.1%. Almost half (47.5%) of T2D patients were obese compared with 26.7% of patients at all BEACH encounters in 2011-2012. Of 344 non-insulin-treated T2D patients, 79.4% self-monitored fasting BG and 69.7% of 314 self-monitored post-prandial BG. For both groups, mean HbA1c was significantly higher for those who tested daily than for those who never tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with non-insulin-treated T2D who test BG daily may be those struggling for control. For others, benefits seem minimal for the proportion utilising self-monitoring.
authors.affiliation: BApp Sc(HIM) (Hons), PhD (Med), is Senior Research Fellow, Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D058006:General Practice; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin