EFFECTIVENESS OF METFORMIN PLUS DIABETIC EDUCATION IN CASE OF EARLY DIAGNOSED TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS IN BANGLADESH

Md. Zakir Hossain Akon, Md. Taleb Hossain*, Md. Saiful Islam, Hasnat Jahan, Md. Rafiquzzaman, Sukalyan Kumar Kundu

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus requires lifelong pharmacological and non pharmacological treatment to prevent complications. Many persons with diabetes do not achieve optimal control due to lack of knowledge about diabetes self management education. A prospective randomized comparative study measured glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at base line, 3 months, 6 months and after 1 year and other outcomes at the same time to determine the effectiveness of diabetic education. Out of 105 early diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients, 56 were found suitable based on exclusion, inclusion criteria and turned up for participation to the study. Metformin monotherapy (n=29) termed as usual care and metformin plus diabetic education (n=27) termed as intervention group. Intervention group received diabetic education according to ADA and AADE approved guide line in four sequential sessions delivered at consistent time of intervals over a period of 06 months. For instance, in case of control group, HbA1c was changed from 8.80±0.10% at base line to7.35±0.26% (p<0.05) after 1 year while this change in case of intervention group was from 9.0±0.36% at base line to 6.5±0.24% (p<0.001) after 1 year. Results showed that the main outcome, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), was decreased from baseline tests to the tests after 1 year for both the control and intervention groups but the decrease was much higher and more significant in case of intervention group. The study confirms the effectiveness of diabetic education on improving health outcomes.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, Metformin, Diabetes self management education, Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c).