Factors associated with greater benefit of a national reimbursement policy for blood glucose test strips in adult patients with type 1 diabetes: A prospective cohort study

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: We aimed to identify factors independently associated with greater benefit of a national reimbursement policy for blood glucose test strips in adult patients with type 1 diabetes, in terms of glycemic control and the rate of severe hypoglycemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 466 adult patients with type 1 diabetes from five tertiary referral hospitals who registered for a national reimbursement program for blood glucose strips and were then followed‐up for 12 months. Factors associated with a > 5% reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and decreased rate of severe hypoglycemia (SH) at 12 months from baseline were evaluated. RESULTS: At the end of the 12 months of follow up, 158 of 466 patients (33.9%) achieved >5% reduction in HbA1c, and 47 of 111 patients (42.3%) had a decreased rate of SH relative to baseline. Higher HbA1c (P < 0.001), lower total daily insulin dose at baseline (P = 0.048) and an increase in self‐monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) frequency during follow up (P = 0.001) were independently associated with >5% reduction in HbA1c. A higher SMBG frequency (P < 0.001), higher rate of SH at baseline (P = 0.029) and lack of hypoglycemic unawareness (P = 0.044) were independently associated with an increase in the frequency of SMBG during follow up. Higher SMBG frequency at baseline (P < 0.001) was independently associated with a decreased rate of SH. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors, including higher SMBG frequency at baseline, were independently associated with reduced HbA1c and a decreased rate of severe hypoglycemia, showing that patients with these characteristics derive the most benefit from reimbursement of blood glucose test strips.