Does blood glucose monitoring increase prior to clinic visits in children with type 1 diabetes?

Objective: To assess the occurrence of white coat adherence in families with children who have type 1 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Blood glucose data were downloaded from meters of 72 children, aged 2-11 years, with type 1 diabetes at four consecutive clinic visits. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze patterns of blood glucose monitoring (BGM) during the 28 days before each clinic visit.

Results: More frequent BGM was associated with better glycemic control. Evidence of a white coat adherence effect, with BGM frequency increasing before a clinic visit, was found only among children with low A1C levels.

Conclusions: Highly motivated families who frequently monitor their child's blood glucose increased the frequency of BGM before the child's clinic visit. The additional monitoring may benefit the child by providing the physician with a wealth of blood glucose information to guide recommendations.