News Release

A personal approach can enhance diabetes care

Peer-Reviewed Publication

BMJ

Randomised controlled trial of structured personal care of type 2 diabetes mellitus BMJ Volume 323, pp 970-5
Editorial: The management of diabetes BMJ Volume 323, pp 946-7

Evidence is increasing that good control of diabetes may postpone the development of diabetic complications, but maintaining good control over a long period can be difficult.

In this week's BMJ, Danish researchers show that individualised personal care, with education and surveillance support for general practitioners, may bring risk factors of patients with type 2 diabetes to a level that has been shown to reduce diabetic complications for at least six years.

A total of 874 patients with diabetes and 474 general practitioners took part in the study. Patients were allocated to two groups. The structured care group received planned, quarterly consultations, which enabled them and their doctors to set treatment goals aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk factors. The comparison group received routine care from their doctor.

The results show that, even in a group of motivated, volunteering general practitioners that were already supplying acceptable basic patient care, a structured personal care strategy, focusing on individual goals and educational and surveillance support, can provide extra benefit for patients with type 2 diabetes for at least six years.

Such schemes may reduce risk factors to a level that has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the development of diabetic complications without adverse weight gain, they conclude.

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