Effectiveness of a new smartphone application on type 1 diabetes control and self-management in times of Covid-19: Prospective comparative study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Background: Self-management for type 1 diabetes mellitus patients is a real challenge especially in a time of a spreading pandemic. “Ana wa Soukari” is a newly designed smartphone application for therapeutic education and insulin doses management. OBJECTIVE Objectives: Our study evaluated the effectiveness of “Ana wa Soukari” on clinical and biological outcomes of type 1 diabetes self-management. METHODS Methods: This is a prospective comparative study including 62 patients. Primary study endpoint was HbA1c after three months’ follow-up. Secondary study endpoints were number of hypoglycaemic events and diabetes treatment satisfaction. Treatment satisfaction was assessed using the Arabic version of DTSQs questionnaire. RESULTS Results: Sixty-two patients were included in our study. The mean age of our patients was 15 6,41 years. Sex ratio M/F = 1,1. Mean diabetes duration was 4,9 4,3 years and 67,7% of patients had diabetes for less than 5 years. Mean HbA1c levels in Group A (with application) and Group B (without application) dropped from 8,3% 2,3 and 8,2% 2 respectively at baseline to 7,4% 1,5 and 8% 1,8 at three months’ follow-up. Change in hypoglycaemic episodes was – 1,8 2,0 (P < 0,001) for Group A and – 1,2 1,5 (P < 0,001) for Group B. DTSQs was performed in both groups at end point. Scores were significantly higher in group (A) than in group (B) with a mean score of 31,8 3,4 and 28,4 3,8 respectively (P < 0,001). CONCLUSIONS Conclusions: Self-management smartphone apps appear to be effective on glycaemic control and should be considered as an adjuvant intervention to the standard diabetes care. CLINICALTRIAL