Gay C L, Chapuis F, Bendelac N, Tixier F, Treppoz S, Nicolino M
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Debrousse University Hospital, Lyon, France.
Diabetes Metab. 2006 Apr;32(2):159-65. doi: 10.1016/s1262-3636(07)70263-x.
To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of reinforced follow-up via telecare mediated by the local pharmacist in contact with the hospital team to improve glycaemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (DT1).
One hundred patients, aged 8 to 17 years, with a history of DT1 of more than 1 year, with HbA(1c) >=8%, were randomly assigned to either the "reinforced follow-up" group (RFG) or the "usual follow-up" group (UFG). The intervention consisted in downloading and then printing data stored in a glucometer every two weeks, by the local pharmacist. Printouts were faxed to the hospital team which then communicated adapted instructions for better glycemic control directly to the family.
Fifty patients were assigned to each group. The two groups were comparable at the beginning. 71 children had a doctor's visit at 6 +/- 1 months (36 in RFG and 35 in UFG). At this date, there was no significant difference between the average HbA(1c) levels of the two groups (9.12 +/- 1.46 in RFG versus 9.27 +/- 1.20 in UFG). We had various difficulties setting up and gaining compliance with the intervention procedure, which explains why only 33 children in the RFG transmitted at least one fax.
At this stage, the reinforced follow-up has not proved to be superior to the usual follow-up. However, it would be possible to make numerous improvements in order to make the former more feasible and probably more efficient.
