There were three reported  deaths out of 3578 participants .Computer-based  diabetes self-management interventions currently have limited effectiveness .
Current interventions do not show adequate evidence for improving depression , health-related quality of life or weight .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Computer-based diabetes self-management interventions to manage type 2 diabetes appear to have a small beneficial effect on blood glucose control and the effect was larger in the mobile phone subgroup .
There is no evidence to show benefits in other biological outcomes or any cognitive , behavioural or emotional outcomes
BACKGROUND Diabetes is one of the commonest chronic medical conditions , affecting around 347 million adults worldwide .
Structured patient education programmes reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications four-fold .
Internet-based self-management programmes have been shown to be effective for a number of long-term conditions , but it is unclear what are the essential or effective components of such programmes .
If computer-based self-management interventions improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes , they could potentially provide a cost-effective option for reducing the burdens placed on patients and healthcare systems by this long-term condition .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on health status and health-related quality of life of computer-based diabetes self-management interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus .
Using the vista 350 telephone to communicate the results of home monitoring of diabetes mellitus to a central database and to provide feedback
PURPOSE Self-monitoring of blood glucose has become routine practice in the management of diabetes mellitus . When all the data is complete , however , the amount of information to be taken into account when making therapeutic decisions becomes overwhelming not only for the patient but for the healthcare provider . Computers excel at processing large amounts of information quickly and impassively , which makes them potentially helpful for collating and communicating the data in a manner that facilitates decision-making by patient and healthcare provider . This should in turn improve control and help prevent acute and chronic complications . METHOD Using the Vista 350 telephone , we have developed a system that enables patients with diabetes to record home monitoring data to a central data base and receive feedback summaries . A small trial was conducted to determine if the Vista 350 telephone is an acceptable and feasible method to communicate the results of home monitoring of diabetes mellitus to a central data base and receive feedback summaries . A total of 35 volunteers with insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus in the London area were r and omly allocated to either use the Vista 350 phone for 6 months , or to a control group that continued to use traditional methods for recording home monitoring data . RESULTS 33 of the 35 patients enrolled completed the trial . All 16 patients who began using the phone continued to do so for 6 months confirming the feasibility of the system . Question naires completed at 3 and 6 months confirmed the Vista 350 telephone system to be acceptable to the subjects . The results will enable some minor modifications to be made to the telephone system before a larger definitive trial , design ed to determine the effect on diabetes control , is conducted later this year
There were three reported  deaths out of 3578 participants .Computer-based  diabetes self-management interventions currently have limited effectiveness .
Current interventions do not show adequate evidence for improving depression , health-related quality of life or weight .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Computer-based diabetes self-management interventions to manage type 2 diabetes appear to have a small beneficial effect on blood glucose control and the effect was larger in the mobile phone subgroup .
There is no evidence to show benefits in other biological outcomes or any cognitive , behavioural or emotional outcomes
BACKGROUND Diabetes is one of the commonest chronic medical conditions , affecting around 347 million adults worldwide .
Structured patient education programmes reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications four-fold .
Internet-based self-management programmes have been shown to be effective for a number of long-term conditions , but it is unclear what are the essential or effective components of such programmes .
If computer-based self-management interventions improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes , they could potentially provide a cost-effective option for reducing the burdens placed on patients and healthcare systems by this long-term condition .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on health status and health-related quality of life of computer-based diabetes self-management interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus .