Integrated model of digital health and clinic care pathway: a prospective observational study to manage glycated haemoglobin levels and time in range among Indian subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20261687Keywords:
Diabetes type 2, HbA1c, Digital health program, Continuous glucose monitoring, Time in rangeAbstract
Background: Good glycaemic control is difficult to achieve, especially with high glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The benefits of short-term dietary treatments and structured monitoring across severity levels are unknown. Severity-based category transitions may provide more clinically meaningful insight than mean HbA1c change alone.
Methods: To evaluate glycaemic change using a severity-stratified framework and to identify clinical and behavioral predictors of category improvement, with particular focus on baseline HbA1c, disease duration, and continuous glucose monitoring derived time-in-range. The analysis was performed on a cohort of 808 adults.
Results: To evaluate glycaemic change using a severity-stratified framework and to identify clinical and behavioral predictors of category improvement, with particular focus on baseline HbA1c, disease duration, and continuous glucose monitoring derived time-in-range. The analysis was performed on a cohort of 808 adults. At baseline, 23.4% were classified as controlled, 41.5% as uncontrolled, and 35.1% as severely uncontrolled. By 3–4 months, the proportion achieving glycaemic control had increased to 43.4%, corresponding to an absolute improvement of 20.0%. Overall mean HbA1c reduction was 1.34±1.79% (median 1.00%, IQR 0.20–2.15), with 68.0% achieving clinically meaningful improvement (≥0.5%; p<0.001).
Conclusions: Severity-stratified assessment provides clinically meaningful insight into real-world glycaemic outcomes. Structured monitoring combined with early metabolic feedback appears particularly effective in individuals with severe hyperglycaemia.
References
Teo LM, Lim WY, Ke Y, Sia IKL, Gui CH, Abdullah HR. A prospective observational prevalence study of elevated HbA1c among elective surgical patients. Sci Rep 2020;10:19067.
IDF Diabetes Atlas. IDF Diabetes Atlas 2025. Available at: https://diabetesatlas.org/resources/idf-diabetes-atlas-2025/. Accessed on 06 February 2026.
Anjana RM, Deepa M, Pradeepa R, Mahanta J, Narain K, Das HK, et al. Prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in 15 states of India: results from the ICMR-INDIAB population-based cross-sectional study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2017;5:585-96.
Anjana RM, Unnikrishnan R, Deepa M, Pradeepa R, Tandon N, Das AK, et al. Metabolic non-communicable disease health report of India: the ICMR-INDIAB national cross-sectional study (ICMR-INDIAB-17). Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2023;11:474-89.
India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Diabetes Collaborators. The increasing burden of diabetes and variations among the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2016. Lancet Glob Health. 2018;6:e1352-62.
Unnikrishnan R, Anjana RM, Deepa M, Pradeepa R, Joshi SR, Bhansali A, et al. Glycemic control among individuals with self-reported diabetes in India—the ICMR-INDIAB Study. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2014;16:596-603.
Mohan V, Shah SN, Joshi SR, Seshiah V, Sahay BK, Banerjee S, et al. Current status of management, control, complications and psychosocial aspects of patients with diabetes in India: results from the DiabCare India 2011 Study. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2014;18:370-8.
Kaufman N, Khurana I. Using digital health technology to prevent and treat diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2016;18:S56-68.
Blonde L. Current challenges in diabetes management. Clin Cornerstone. 2005;7:S6-17.
World Health Organization. Use of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus: abbreviated report of a WHO consultation. 2011. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ books/NBK304267/. Accessed on 06 February 2026.
American Diabetes Association. Diabetes care in the hospital: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2020. Diabetes Care. 2020;43:S193-202.
Castro Sweet CM, Chiguluri V, Gumpina R, Abbott P, Madero EN, Payne M, et al. Outcomes of a digital health program with human coaching for diabetes risk reduction in a Medicare population. J Aging Health. 2018;30:692-710.
Pal K, Dack C, Ross J, Michie S, May C, Stevenson F, et al. Digital health interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes: qualitative study of patient perspectives on diabetes self-management education and support. J Med Internet Res. 2018;20:e40.
Berthoumieux A, Linke S, Merry M, Megliola A, Juusola J, Napoleone J. Long-term results of a digital diabetes self-management and education support program among adults with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study. Sci Diabetes Self Manag Care. 2024;50:19-31.
Jackson MA, Ahmann A, Shah VN. Type 2 diabetes and the use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2021;23:S27-34.
Kesavadev J, Krishnan G, Mohan V. Digital health and diabetes: experience from India. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2021;12:20420188211054676.
Mohan V, Jain S, Kesavadev J, Chawla M, Mutha A, Viswanathan V, et al. Use of retrospective continuous glucose monitoring for optimizing management of type 2 diabetes in India. J Assoc Physicians India. 2016;64:16-21.
Kesavadev J, Vigersky R, Shin J, Pillai PBS, Shankar A, Sanal G, et al. Assessing the therapeutic utility of professional continuous glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetes across various therapies: a retrospective evaluation. Adv Ther. 2017;34:1918-27.
Manov AE, Chauhan S, Dhillon G, Dhaliwal A, Antonio S, Donepudi A, et al. The effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring devices in managing uncontrolled diabetes mellitus: a retrospective study. Cureus. 2023;15:e42545.
Kong S-Y, Cho M-K. Effects of continuous glucose monitoring on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12:571.
Kim H-S, Yoon K-H. Lessons from use of continuous glucose monitoring systems in digital healthcare. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2020;35:541-8.
Dixon RF, Zisser H, Layne JE, Barleen NA, Miller DP, Moloney DP, et al. A virtual type 2 diabetes clinic using continuous glucose monitoring and endocrinology visits. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2020;14:908-11.
Beck RW, Bergenstal RM, Cheng P, Kollman C, Carlson AL, Johnson ML, et al. The relationships between time in range, hyperglycemia metrics, and HbA1c. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019;13:614-26.
Lu J, Ma X, Zhou J, Zhang L, Mo Y, Ying L, et al. Association of time in range, as assessed by continuous glucose monitoring, with diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2018;41:2370-6.
UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) Group. Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 33). Lancet. 1998;352:837-53.
ADVANCE Collaborative Group. Intensive blood glucose control and vascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:2560-72.
Pharma Life Sciences. Exploring the role of healthcare providers in CGM coaching, education. Available at: https://www.techtarget.com/pharmali fesciences/feature/Exploring-the-Role-of-Healthcare-Providers-in-CGM-Coaching-Education. Accessed 06 February 2026.
ADA Professional Practice Committee. Improving care and promoting health in populations: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. 2026;49:S13-26.