Self-monitoring of blood glucose improved glycaemic control and 10-year coronary heart disease risk profile of type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: The debate over the overall benefits of self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes patients is still continuing. We aimed to assess the difference in glycaemic control and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk levels of experimental type 2 diabetes patients provided with facilities for self-monitoring blood glucose and their counterparts without such facilities.

Methods: Sixty-one patients who had no prior experience in using glucometers were studied as intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 31) groups. The intervention group was trained in self-monitoring of blood glucose and documentation. Baseline blood glucose and fasting blood glucose were measured and the intervention patients were provided with glucometers and advised to self-monitor their fasting and postprandial blood glucose over six months. The 10-year CHD risk levels were determined with the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study-derived risk engine calculator.

Results: The age and diabetes duration were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). The majority of the patients were unemployed or retired females with only a primary level education. After 3 months, the haemogolbin A 1C (HbA 1c) levels of the control patients remained unchanged ((7.8 ± 0.3)% vs. (7.9 ± 0.4)%, P > 0.05) whereas the HbA 1c levels of the intervention patients were significantly reduced from the baseline at three ((9.6 ± 0.3)% vs. (7.8 ± 0.3)%, P < 0.001) and six ((9.2 ± 0.4)% vs. (7.5 ± 0.3)%, P < 0.001) months. Interestingly, while the 10-year CHD risk level of the control group remained unchanged after three months, that of the intervention group was remarkably reduced at three and six months from the baseline level ((7.4 ± 1.3)% vs. (4.5 ± 0.9)%, P = 0.056).

Conclusion: Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes patients significantly improved glycaemic control and the CHD risk profile, suggesting that type 2 diabetes patients will potentially benefit from inclusion of glucose meters and testing strips in their health-care package.