Diabetes self-tests may be no benefit

19 April 2008

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NHS spending on blood glucose test strips has gone up drastically

Encouraging people with type 2 diabetes to monitor their own blood sugar levels may not improve care.

One group of researchers found patients who self-test are more likely to end up depressed than in better health.

Another found self-testing costs �90 extra per patient per year and may lead to worse quality of life, the British Medical Journal reported.

But the government said for some people self-monitoring could be very useful.

Being able to monitor blood sugar levels is very helpful for patients who need to take insulin to control their diabetes.

The current study shows routine self-monitoring is not cost-effective and there is a negative effect on quality of life for some people