Self-monitoring of blood glucose as part of a multi-component therapy among non-insulin requiring type 2 diabetes patients: a meta-analysis (1966–2004)

ABSTRACTObjective: To determine if therapeutic management programs that include self-monitoring of blood glucose result in greater HbA1c reduction in non-insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes patients compared to programs without blood glucose self-monitoring.Research design and methods: Electronic databases including MEDLINE (1966–2004), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE (1950–2004), Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and the Online Index Journals of the American Diabetes Association (ADA 1978–2004) were searched. Personal collections of investigators were also explored. Randomized controlled trials comparing HbA1c reduction in therapies with and without blood glucose self-monitoring among adult, non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients were selected. Studies on patients who are pregnant, taking insulin, troglitazone or experimental drugs were excluded. Out of 14 potentially useful randomized controlled trials on self-monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin treated type 2 diabete...