Kasun C Gunawardena1, Renee Jackson1, Iva Robinett2, Lahiru Dhaniska3, Shaluka Jayamanne4, Sumedha Kalpani4, Dimuthu Muthukuda5. 1. 1 Ocean Lakes High School, Math and Science Academy, Virginia Beach, VA, USA. 2. 2 Endocrinology Department, Sentara Medical Group, Norfolk, VA, USA. 3. 3 Informatics Institute of Technology, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 4. 4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka. 5. 5 Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital, Kotte, Sri Lanka.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Smartphone use is rapidly growing in developing countries, providing opportunity for development of new health-based mobile applications. The present study investigated the efficacy of a newly designed mobile application, Smart Glucose Manager (SGM), in Sri Lankan patients with diabetes. METHODS: A total of 67 patients with access to Android smartphones were randomized into an SGM (n = 27) and a control group (n = 25). Glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) levels were measured at baseline and every 3 months afterward. The SGM group utilized the application daily, while control-group patients were instructed to continue their standard methods of diabetes management. Independent t-tests were utilized to assess A1c differences at 3 and 6 months postrandomization. A1c improvement, defined as A1c at 6 months minus baseline, was compared with SGM usage to assess effectiveness of diabetic management. RESULTS: At the 6-month follow up, the SGM group had significant lower A1c levels than the control group (7.2% vs 8.17%, P < .0001). For both groups, A1c values decreased from baseline to the 3 months (SGM: 9.52% to 8.16%, P < .0001; control: 9.44% to 8.31%, P < .0001). From 3 months to 6 months, the SGM group showed further improvement of A1c (-0.96% P < .0001), whereas the control group did not ( P = 0.19). A1c improvement was positively correlated with SGM usage ( R = .81, P < .001). CONCLUSION: The SGM, a mobile application specifically designed to support self-management of diabetes, appeared to show long-term improvement of A1c levels in patients with diabetes residing in Sri Lanka.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Smartphone use is rapidly growing in developing countries, providing opportunity for development of new health-based mobile applications. The present study investigated the efficacy of a newly designed mobile application, Smart Glucose Manager (SGM), in Sri Lankan patients with diabetes. METHODS: A total of 67 patients with access to Android smartphones were randomized into an SGM (n = 27) and a control group (n = 25). Glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) levels were measured at baseline and every 3 months afterward. The SGM group utilized the application daily, while control-group patients were instructed to continue their standard methods of diabetes management. Independent t-tests were utilized to assess A1c differences at 3 and 6 months postrandomization. A1c improvement, defined as A1c at 6 months minus baseline, was compared with SGM usage to assess effectiveness of diabetic management. RESULTS: At the 6-month follow up, the SGM group had significant lower A1c levels than the control group (7.2% vs 8.17%, P < .0001). For both groups, A1c values decreased from baseline to the 3 months (SGM: 9.52% to 8.16%, P < .0001; control: 9.44% to 8.31%, P < .0001). From 3 months to 6 months, the SGM group showed further improvement of A1c (-0.96% P < .0001), whereas the control group did not ( P = 0.19). A1c improvement was positively correlated with SGM usage ( R = .81, P < .001). CONCLUSION: The SGM, a mobile application specifically designed to support self-management of diabetes, appeared to show long-term improvement of A1c levels in patients with diabetes residing in Sri Lanka.
Entities:
Keywords:
Sri Lanka; compliance; diabetes; glycosylated Hemoglobin (A1c); health care app; self-monitoring of blood glucose
Authors: P Katulanda; G R Constantine; J G Mahesh; R Sheriff; R D A Seneviratne; S Wijeratne; M Wijesuriya; M I McCarthy; A I Adler; D R Matthews Journal: Diabet Med Date: 2008-09 Impact factor: 4.359