ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Telehealth increases care accessibility to patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus but the duration of its implementation to sustain optimal glycaemic control remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the health outcomes of these patients using the Optimizing care of Patients via Telemedicine In Monitoring and aUgmenting their control of diabetes Mellitus (OPTIMUM) home tele-monitoring (HTM) system 6 months post-intervention, compared to standard care. METHODS: An open-labelled randomized controlled trial involving 330 participants with type-2 diabetes mellitus, aged 26-65 years, and suboptimal glycaemic control (HbA1c = 7.5%-10%) was conducted. Intervention group received OPTIMUM HTM for 6 months followed by usual care for another 6 months, while control group received usual care for 12 months. OPTIMUM HTM includes in-app video-based tele-education, tele-monitoring of the blood pressure, capillary glucose and weight via Bluetooth devices and mobile applications, followed by algorithm-based tele-management by the OPTIMUM HTM team. Assessments using self-care inventory scale and medication adherence were administered for both groups at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month timepoints. RESULTS: Complete data from 156 (intervention) and 159 (control) participants, with comparable demographic profiles, were analysed. Both groups showed a significant reduction in HbA1c from baseline (p < 0.001). From 6-month to 12-month time-points, the intervention group was twice as likely to maintain their HbA1c ≤ 8% (adjusted odds ratio = 2.02, 95%CI = 1.18-3.49; p < 0.011). The intervention group demonstrated higher scores for self-care behaviours (adjusted odds ratio = 3.83 [95%CI = 1.68-5.97], p = 0.001) and not skipping medications (adjusted odds ratio = 2.32 [95%CI = 1.09-4.97], p = 0.030) at 12 months. DISCUSSION: The OPTIMUM HTM system enabled patients to maintain their glycaemic control beyond the intervention period. The favourable outcomes could be the effect of telehealth in sustaining self-care behaviour and medication adherence.