Diabetes Care, Vol 21, Issue 12 2085-2093, Copyright © 1998 by American Diabetes Association
Randomized study of two different target levels of glycemic control within the acceptable range in type 2 diabetes. Effects on well-being at 1 year
FE van der Does, JN de Neeling, FJ Snoek, PA Grootenhuis, PJ Kostense, LM Bouter and RJ Heine
Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
OBJECTIVE: A randomized trial with 1-year follow-up was conducted in 23
general practices to study the relationship between target values for
glycemic control and well-being in type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
METHODS: A total of 176 patients with type 2 diabetes, aged 40-75 years,
were included. General practitioners were encouraged to make decisions
according to a standardized step-up regimen until the target level of
glycemic control was reached. The random allocation to a strict or a less
strict target level of glycemic control (fasting capillary glucose < 6.5
or < 8.5 mmol/l), change in HbA1c and fasting glucose, and initiating
insulin or treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents were studied as putative
determinants of scores on a type 2 diabetes symptom checklist, a profile of
mood states, an affect balance scale, and general well-being. Adjustments
were made for baseline scores on the outcome at issue. RESULTS: Positive
affect (an odds ratio [OR] [95% CI] of 0.39 [0.19-0.83]) and perceived
treatment burden (OR 0.48 [0.23-0.98]) were unfavorably altered in the
group randomly allocated to stricter target levels (fasting capillary
glucose < 6.5 mmol/l). Patients who had a decrease in HbA1c of 1% or
more tended to have comparatively favorable mood (OR displeasure score 0.35
[0.13-0.94]) and general well-being scores at 1 year (ORs of having
unfavorable scores ranged from 0.4 to 0.5, NS). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived
treatment burden and positive effect are unfavorably affected by random
allocation to a strict target level for glycemic control. Improved glycemic
control is associated with favorable mood and possibly general well-being
in type 2 diabetes.