Diabetes Care, Vol 19, Issue 8 876-879, Copyright © 1996 by American Diabetes Association
How have patients reacted to the implications of the DCCT?
CJ Thompson, JF Cummings, J Chalmers, C Gould and RW Newton
Diabetes Centre, Department of Child Health, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the reactions of people with insulin-treated diabetes
(ITD) to the results of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial
(DCCT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A leaflet documenting the purpose and
results of the DCCT was circulated to all 771 patients ages 15-60 years
with ITD attending our clinic. Patients were invited to complete and return
a questionnaire on their responses. RESULTS: Of 550 respondents, 330 felt
encouraged to improve glycemic control. Female respondents (P = 0.003) and
younger age-groups (15-25 years, P = 0.001) were most likely to want to
improve control. Patients with long duration of diabetes (> 20 years, P
= 0.00001), hypoglycemia unawareness (P = 0.0001), or previous severe
hypoglycemia (P = 0.001) were less likely to want to improve their control.
Fear of hypoglycemia concerned all age-groups, whereas female respondents
were most likely to be worried about the potential for weight gain (P =
0.00006). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the results of the DCCT encourages
significant numbers of patients to want to improve glycemic control. Fear
of hypoglycemia and, in women, weight gain may prove significant
impediments to the clinical implementation of the results of the DCCT.