Self-Monitoring A Waste Of Time For Type 2 Diabetics?

Filed in archive on July 31, 2006

In rather odd news, some researchers believe that Type 2 diabetics need not bother with monitoring their glucose levels, as it doesn't seem to have any effect on them.

Seventy percent of patients reported performing self-monitoring of blood glucose at study entry, with an average of four tests per week. Predictors of blood glucose monitoring included shorter diabetes duration; attending diabetes education sessions or diabetes-related clinics; seeing medical specialists; taking insulin with or without glucose-lowering oral drugs; and self-reporting episodes of low blood sugar.

The data findings revealed no significant differences in blood glucose levels or in frequency of testing between those who self-monitored blood glucose and those who did not. This was true overall and within diabetes treatment groups.

"Current American Diabetes Association recommendations are that self-monitoring of blood glucose should be performed three or more times per day for type 2 diabetic patients using multiple insulin injections, but that for patients using once-daily insulin, oral (glucose-lowering) agents, or diet alone, there is low-level evidence of benefit," Davis and colleagues note.

Perhaps this can be validated, though I'm not comfortable with the idea of diabetics (or anyone, for that matter) being discouraged to keep track of their health in any way. What do you think?