Evaluation of the efficacy of online healthcare system for the remote management of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus has emerged as a globally prevalent chronic disease among middle-aged and elderly populations, with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) constituting over 90% of diagnosed cases. The pathophysiological alterations and associated complications of this metabolic disorder exert profound detrimental effects on patients' quality of life and long-term health outcomes. The study aimed to investigate the impact of an online healthcare system on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 950 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in the online healthcare platform and subsequently categorized into 2 groups based on their visit frequency over a period of approximately 6 months (180 days ± 10%). The control group included 203 patients with only 1 visit, while the observation group comprised 747 patients with twice or more. Comparative analysis was conducted between the 2 groups to assess the levels of HbA1c, LDL-C, BMI, and BP control, as well as compliance rates. The analysis revealed that the observation group showed notably lower levels of HbA1c, LDL-C, and BP compared to the control group. While there was no significant variance in BMI between the groups, the observation group experienced a substantial reduction in BMI over the 6-month period. Our findings substantiate that telemedicine complemented by an online healthcare system, based on the traditional medical model, effectively regulated HbA1c, LDL-C, BMI, and BP in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This approach facilitates enhanced patient self-management, improved disease knowledge, better quality of life, and favorable prognosis.

Keywords: online healthcare system; remote management; telemedicine; traditional medicine; type 2 diabetes mellitus.