Patients can effectively manage type 2 diabetes with digital therapies

A recent study found that type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients using digital therapy were able to improve glycemic control regardless of race or ethnicity. JMIRDiabetes.¹ In addition, another study applied science Digital therapy found to significantly reduce hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.²

“Several studies have demonstrated the role of digital technologies, including digital treatment platforms, remote home care systems, digitally enhanced diabetes self-management, education and support programs, and smartphone-based integrated online real-time diabetes care systems. Management of T2DM without requiring escalation of existing medications,” the authors wrote. JMIRDiabetes.

Because most are in the form of remote interventions, digital therapy “may not be as impactful as face-to-face counseling and follow-up, but it has the advantage of easy communication, anytime, anywhere access and information availability.” JMIRDiabetes Said.

The study analyzed the results of 128 Indian patients using a digital therapy app that connects patients and physicians, and was also able to connect to Bluetooth-enabled devices and fitness apps.

Digital therapy as an adjunct to conventional pharmacotherapy lowered HbA, according to this study_1c The average FBG for 76.6% of the participants was 8.39 mg/dL, and the average postprandial blood glucose (PPBG) for Indian type 2 diabetic patients was 14.97 mg/dL.

Another notable result was that 88.3% of participants reported that the intervention program had a positive impact on diabetes self-management. The majority of participants (95.3%) also found that reminders and nudges had a positive impact on improving overall adherence to diabetes treatment.

“Lifestyle changes with digital therapy reduced HbA_1cthereby keeping diabetes under control,” the authors concluded.

In a study published in applied science, researchers followed a group of 1,000 people with type 2 diabetes who used the Dario digital therapy platform for over 12 months. The participant had an average blood glucose level above his 180 mg/dL in his first month, indicating an increased risk of hyperglycemia.

Mean blood glucose levels decreased significantly in each group, regardless of race or ethnicity. The average blood sugar level of all users decreased by 14% of his. It decreased by 14% among Caucasians and 15% among racial and ethnic minority groups.

“Our findings reinforce the observation that higher levels of user engagement, reflected in the number of monthly measurements and active months, are associated with lower blood glucose levels in the timeframe tested. I will,” writes the author.

The associations between engagement factors and glycemic outcomes in underserved populations could be the subject of “future research investigating how habits change over time and the unique needs of different and diverse populations.” emphasizes the importance of,” they added.

Future research will also focus on disparities in different aspects of life with diabetes, promoting in-glycemia, reducing hyperglycemia, diabetes care outcomes, technology use, and comparing different outcomes. Practical digital strategies to promote engagement in diabetes self-management should be explored by doing so. The population increased along with the extended period, the researchers write.

References

1. Chawla R, Jaggi S, Gupta A, Bantwal G, Patil S. Clinical utility of a digital therapeutic intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes in India: A 12-week prospective single-arm intervention study. JMIRDiabetes2022;7(4):e41401. doi:10.2196/4140

2. Gershoni T, Ritholz MD, Horwitz DL, Manejwala O, Donaldson-Pitter T, Fundoiano-Hershcovitz Y. Glycemic control with digital therapeutic platforms across racial/ethnic groups: a retrospective cohort study. applied scienceDecember 29, 2022. Accessed February 9, 2022. doi:10.3390/app13010431