Insulin adjustment by a diabetes nurse educator improved glucose control in patients with poorly controlled, “insulin requiring” diabetes
QUESTION: Does regular telephone advice by a diabetes nurse educator for insulin adjustment improve glucose control in patients with poorly controlled, “insulin requiring” diabetes?
Design
Randomised (allocation concealed), blinded (outcome assessor), controlled trial with 6 months of follow up.
Setting
Hospital diabetes clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Patients
46 patients with diabetes (mean age 49 y, 52% women) who had a glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels ≥8.5%, were on insulin therapy, had received standard diabetes education, were able to monitor blood glucose levels at home, and were receiving care by an endocrinologist. Exclusion criteria were inability to have regular telephone communication, contraindication to tight glucose control, other serious illness, or use of an insulin pump. Follow up was 100%.
Intervention
Patients were allocated to receive …
