Effect of mobile phone short text messages on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Mobile phone text messaging has rapidly become a socially popular form of communication. Several studies showed that mobile phone might offer a useful means of providing information between clinic visits and might increase adherence to diabetes therapy regimens.


OBJECTIVE
We conducted a study to evaluate the effect of mobile phone short message service (SMS) on glycemic control in Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
One hundred patients (mean age, 41 ± 9.5 years) were selected at the Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and provided with daily educational, reminding SMS messages for four months. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, frequency of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic attacks, and compliance with blood glucose monitoring were recorded before and after the trial.


RESULTS
In addition to significant improvement in patients' knowledge, mean fasting blood glucose level improved from 8.60 ± 3.16 to 7.77 ± 3.11 mmol/L and mean HbA1c decreased from 9.9% ± 1.8% to 9.5% ± 1.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
Mobile phone text messaging increased adherence to diabetes therapy and improved the clinical outcome in Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes.
Department of Pediatrics, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Bassam
B
Bin Abbas
Department of Pediatrics, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah
A
Al Fares
Imam University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Musleh
M
Jabbari
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdelmoneim
A
El Dali
Department of Telemedicine and E-Health, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fahad
F
Al Orifi
Cellular Phone; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Glycemic; Health; Text Messages