OUTCOMES RESEARCH IN REVIEW Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose: Depressingly Not Helpful in the Newly Diagnosed

Study Overview Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of blood glucose self-monitoring on glycemic control and psychological outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Design. Randomized controlled trial. Setting and participants. Four outpatient diabetes referral clinics in Northern Ireland enrolled 184 adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (60 % men; mean hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], 8.7%). Patients were excluded if they were on insu-lin, had previously self-monitored blood glucose levels, had chronic liver or kidney disease or secondary diabetes, misused alcohol, or had a major illness in the previous 6 months. Pa-tients in the self-monitoring group received a glucose monitor and education regarding its use. Both groups received diabetes education