Self‐monitoring of blood glucose ‘a walking stick and not a cane‘

Abstract

Fifty‐nine insulin‐dependent diabetics attending the Young Diabetic Clinic at Stobhill Hospital, completed an open questionnaire survey asking how often they felt that they ought to be measuring their blood glucose, and how often they actually measured it. Despite 78% knowing that they ought to perform SMBG four times per day, on one or more days per week, only 17.9% actually did so. No difference in mean glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) over 18 months was found between those who performed SMBG frequently and those who did not. The group's overall control (mean HbA1c 7.15/SD score 4.4) was not different to that achieved by groups using intensive insulin regimens. This suggests that routine frequent SMBG, even when practised, may contribute little to overall diabetes control.