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Multidisciplinary approach to patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective, randomized study

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Abstract.

Practicing physicians as well as diabetes specialists are confronted with the often-frustrating experience of dealing with patients with poorly controlled diabetes. It is not always obvious why these patients fail to improve. The aims of this study were two-fold: (a) to determine if the interdisciplinary approach offered by the Western Negev Mobile Clinic Diabetes Program (WNMDCP) is of benefit in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and (b) to more fully characterize patients refractory to treatment. Two primary-care clinics of the Western Negev were randomly selected as control and intervention. All patients from both clinics with hemoglobin (HbA1C) ≥10% (tested during June-July 2000) were studied for 6 months. Patients from the control clinic continued the usual treatment. Patients from the intervention clinic received the interdisciplinary approach offered by WNMCDP. The rate of improvement of diabetes control, measured as a decrease in HbA1C values of at least 0.5%, and compliance to treatment were determined. Overall, 48 of 258 patients in the intervention clinic and 34 of 179 patients in the control clinic met the inclusion criteria. At the 6-month follow-up, we observed significant improvements in plasma glucose (-1.5 mmol/l; p=0.003) and HbA1C (-1.8%; p=0.00001) in the intervention group but not in the control group. The compliance and response rates were 85% and 71% for the intervention group and 32% and 35% for the control group, respectively. Patients from the intervention clinic showed significant improvement in the endpoints compared to patients from the control clinic. More than 70% of patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus responded to the interdisciplinary treatment approach offered by WNMDCP. The group of non-responders comprised patients with poor compliance (15%) and those with serious concomitant diseases or limitations of mobility.

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Correspondence to M. Maislos.

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Maislos, M., Weisman, D. Multidisciplinary approach to patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective, randomized study. Acta Diabetol 41, 44–48 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-004-0143-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-004-0143-1

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