Of the hundreds of commercially available mobile phone applications for diabetes patients, just 11 have been researched, and just five have been associated with clinically significant improvements in levels of blood sugar control as measured by hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests. They are: Glucose Buddy and Diabeo Telesage (for Type 1 diabetes), and Blue Star, WellTang and Gather Health (for Type 2 diabetes).
That said, the study period was short – less than a year – so it’s difficult to determine the long-term impact of even those five apps.
Researchers funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) sought to understand the effectiveness of roughly 280 apps that may be used to support patient self-management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Common features of apps include the ability to measure HbA1c, as well capabilities to track short-term blood glucose levels, medications, physical activity and weight.
In addition to the five shown to improve levels of HbA1c, other apps studied were shown either to reduce episodes of blood sugar levels being too high or too low; reduce low blood sugar episodes while reducing triglyceride levels and improving treatment satisfaction; or improve blood glucose levels, diabetes knowledge and self-care behaviors. However, evidence is lacking on the ability of apps for diabetes self-management to improve patients’ quality of life, weight, blood pressure or body mass index, the report concluded.
AHRQ is a research agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its report on diabetes apps was developed through the agency’s Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Program. An article based on the evidence review was published in May in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.