[Study of a group of diabetic patients enrolled in the INAMI convention "Self-monitoring of blood glucose"].

We have studied the clinical characteristics of 126 insulin-treated diabetic patients, mainly type I subjects, who regularly performed during 18 months home glucose monitoring. The numbers of strips used each month was of 60 +/- 33 (mean +/- lSD). During the study period, HbA1C levels decreased from 8.6 +/- 2.1 to 7.0 +/- 1.3% (p < 0.001). A significant decrease of HbA1C was also observed in a subgroup of 30 patients, in whom insulin therapy scheme (number of injections a day) was similar before and during home glucose monitoring. Our results confirm the benefits of regularly performed home glucose monitoring.