Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
Volume 87, Issue 2 , Pages 150-156, February 2010

On what evidence-base do we recommend self-monitoring of blood glucose?☆

  • Hubert Kolb

      Affiliations

    • Hagedorn Research Institute, Niels Steensenvej 6, DK Gentofte, Denmark
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +49 17662257211.
    • ,
  • Kerstin Kempf

      Affiliations

    • West-German Centre of Diabetes and Health, Sana Clinics Düsseldorf GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
    • ,
  • Stephan Martin

      Affiliations

    • West-German Centre of Diabetes and Health, Sana Clinics Düsseldorf GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
    • ,
  • Michael Stumvoll

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
    • ,
  • Rüdiger Landgraf

      Affiliations

    • German Diabetes Foundation, Munich, Germany

Received 3 September 2009; received in revised form 14 October 2009; accepted 22 October 2009. published online 19 November 2009.

Abstract 

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) has been considered one major breakthrough in diabetes therapy because, for the first time, patients were able to determine their blood glucose levels during daily life. It seems obvious that this must be of advantage to disease management and clinical outcome, but it has become a nightmare for those trying to provide evidence. Randomised controlled trials have yielded inconsistent results on a benefit of SMBG-based treatment strategies not only in type 2 but – surprisingly – also in type 1 and gestational diabetes. Despite this, SMBG is being considered indispensible in intensive insulin treatment, but is being debated for other clinical settings. When considering the non-RCT based reasons for recommending SMBG in type 1 and gestational diabetes it becomes apparent that the same reasons also apply to type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: Self-monitoring of blood glucose, Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, Gestational diabetes, Hypoglycaemia, HbA1c

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☆ Roche Diagnostics provided the basis for a discussion platform for the authors and the colleagues acknowledged, by an unrestricted grant. Hubert Kolb, Kerstin Kempf and Stephan Martin received previous support by Roche Diagnostics, Menarini (H.K.) and Terumo (S.M.).

PII: S0168-8227(09)00462-8

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2009.10.014

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
Volume 87, Issue 2 , Pages 150-156, February 2010

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