Diabetes Data Management System to Improve Glycemic Control in People With Type 1 Diabetes: Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Smartphone and Web technology can improve the health care process, especially in chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of blood glucose (BG) data management system, which enables connection to smartphones, the Web, the cloud, and downloading, can improve glycemic control in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS: This study was a prospective, single-arm, cohort feasibility study with 6 months of duration. T1DM subjects enrolled had experience in self-monitoring blood glucose, but were download data naïve. Fasting BG and glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) were collected at the enrollment and at follow-up. Subjects were divided into Downloader (DL) and No-downloader (NDL). RESULTS: A total of 63 subjects were analyzed, of which 30 were classified as DL and 33 as NDL. At the end of the study, DL had significantly lower HbA(1c), mean daily glucose, standard deviation, percentage of BG values above target, and pre- and postprandial (lunch and dinner) values compared with NDL (all P<.05). The percentage of BG values within treatment target was significantly higher in DL compared with NDL (47% [SD 9] vs 37% [SD 13]; P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that, in T1DM, downloading of BG from data management system, which enables connection to smartphones, the Web, and the cloud, might be a valuable contributor to improved glycemic control.