Self-monitoring of blood glucose in diabetes: from evidence to clinical reality in Central and Eastern Europe--recommendations from the international Central-Eastern European expert group.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is universally considered to be an integral part of type 1 diabetes management and crucial for optimizing the safety and efficacy of complex insulin regimens. This extends to type 2 diabetes patients on intensive insulin therapy, and there is also a growing body of evidence suggesting that structured SMBG is beneficial for all type 2 diabetes patients, regardless of therapy. However, access to SMBG can be limited in many countries in Central and Eastern Europe. A consensus group of diabetes experts from 10 countries in this region (with overlapping historical, political, and social environments)--Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine--was formed to discuss the role of SMBG across the spectrum of patients with diabetes. The group considered SMBG to be an essential tool that should be accessible to all patients with diabetes, including those with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. The current article summarizes the evidence put forward by the consensus group and provides their recommendations for the appropriate use of SMBG as part of individualized patient management. The ultimate goal of these evidence-based recommendations is to help patients and providers in Central and Eastern Europe to make optimal use of SMBG in order to maximize the efficacy and safety of glucose-lowering therapies, to prevent complications, and to empower the patient to play a more active role in the management of their diabetes.
1 Internal Medicine and Diabetology Department, Medical University of Lodz , Lodz, Poland .
Leszek
L
Czupryniak
László
L
Barkai
Svetlana
S
Bolgarska
Agata
A
Bronisz
Jan
J
Broz
Katarzyna
K
Cypryk
Marek
M
Honka
Andrej
A
Janez
Mladen
M
Krnic
Nebojsa
N
Lalic
Emil
E
Martinka
Dario
D
Rahelic
Gabriela
G
Roman
Tsvetalina
T
Tankova
Tamás
T
Várkonyi
Bogumił
B
Wolnik
Nadia
N
Zherdova
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003245:Consensus Statements as Topic; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human