Psychophysiological correlates of glucose monitoring frequency in diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by heightened blood glucose levels. Prevention of DM complications relies heavily on self-management, including frequent monitoring of blood glucose levels. The goal of this study was to investigate psychological and physiological correlates of blood glucose monitoring frequency (BGM frequency) in DM patients using a continuous blood glucose monitoring sensor connected to a electronic reading system.

Methods: Fifty-nine DM patients (26 women; 49 DM type 1) wearing a continuous blood glucose monitoring sensor filled out the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Need for Controllability and Predictability Questionnaire, and the Action and Acceptance in Diabetes Questionnaire. The number of glucose sensor readings was recorded daily from the monitoring system for three months.

Results: Sixty-three percent of patients had an HbA1c value over 7. Anxiety, depression, and traumatic experiences levels were overall low in our sample (10% had a HADS depression score > 12, and 12% had a HADS anxiety score > 12). On average, patients read out their blood glucose levels 7.83 times per day (SD = 3.60). BGM frequency was negatively correlated with HbA1c levels (r = -0.355, p = 0.018). No associations between (BGM frequency) on the one hand and depression, anxiety, need for control, or experiential avoidance on the other hand, were found.

Conclusion: Patients who measured their glucose levels more frequently had lower HbA1c values, and thus better long- term glucose control. Frequency of blood glucose measuring was unrelated to the psychological variables included in this study.