Diabetes management by either telemedicine or clinic visit improved glycemic control during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic state of emergency in Japan

• Published in: Journal of diabetes investigation 2022-02, Vol.13 (2), p.386-390
• Main Authors: Onishi, Yukiko, Yoshida, Yoko, Takao, Toshiko, Tahara, Tazu, Kikuchi, Takako, Kobori, Toshiko, Kubota, Tetsuya, Shimmei, Asuka, Iwamoto, Masahiko, Kasuga, Masato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Ambulatory Care; Body mass index; Clinics; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID‐19 pandemic; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Glycated hemoglobin; Glycated Hemoglobin - analysis; Glycemic Control; Hemoglobin; Humans; Japan - epidemiology; Pandemics; Regression analysis; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; Short Report; State of emergency; Telemedicine
• ISSN: 2040-1116; 2040-1124; 2040-1124
• DOI: 10.1111/jdi.13546

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study at a Tokyo diabetes clinic was to evaluate the effect of telemedicine and clinic visit on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) during the coronavirus disease 2019 state of emergency. The effect of telemedicine and clinic visit during the emergency period on the post‐emergency measured HbA1c was evaluated by multiple regression models and logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, type of diabetes, pre‐emergency HbA1c and body mass index, and body mass index change during the emergency period. Among 2,727 patients who visited the clinic before and after the emergency period, the interval between clinic visits during the emergency period was significantly associated with HbA1c improvement. Telemedicine and clinic visit were independently associated with HbA1c improvement when pre‐emergency HbA1c was ≥7%. In conclusion, clinic visit and telemedicine during the coronavirus disease 2019 emergency period were both independently effective in HbA1c improvement in Japanese diabetes patients who had insufficient HbA1c control. Clinic visit and telemedicine during the coronavirus disease 2019 emergency period were both independently effective in glycated hemoglobin improvement in Japanese diabetes patients who had insufficient glycated hemoglobin control. Our findings suggest that diabetes care should be provided to patients through either clinic visits or telemedicine, whichever is more feasible, during future emergencies.