title: Web-based telemedicine for management of type 2 diabetes through glucose uploads: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a telemedicine system based on internet in the follow-up of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective randomized telemedicine study with two parallel groups was designed. 114 patients diagnosed T2DM were randomly divided into telemedicine group and traditional face-to-face visit group as control. 57 cases were included for each group. 108 patients completed the trial, in which 53 cases in telemedicine group and 55 cases in control group. Patients in telemedicine group were taught to use telemedicine software to upload their blood glucose and other metabolic information at home at least every 2 weeks, and the researchers gave proper advices according to patients' key behaviors. The telemedicine interval is 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to control group, telemedicine group exhibited better HbA1c and fasting blood glucose controlling (P < 0.05). Moreover, telemedicine intervention decreased hypoglycemia risk (P = 0.044), and contributed to levels of HbA1c less than 7% which is the target of our study (P = 0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telemedicine system can provide a tighter glycemic control for the treatment of T2DM patients, especially in cases with difficulties to access to the medical centre.
authors: Department of Outpatient, Hospital of Jinan University Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors: Peiru
authors: P
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Outpatient, Hospital of Jinan University Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors: Lingli
authors: L
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Outpatient, Hospital of Jinan University Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors: Xueyan
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Outpatient, Hospital of Jinan University Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors: Jiewei
authors: J
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Outpatient, Hospital of Jinan University Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors: Wanping
authors: W
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Outpatient, Hospital of Jinan University Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors: Weiju
authors: W
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: HbA1c; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; management; telemedicine