The effectiveness of telemedicine in the management of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle-related disease demanding daily self-management, is a significant health concern. In this context, the use of telemedicine as a management tool is a relatively new and promising approach. This study aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge by identifying the effectiveness of telemedicine in managing type 2 diabetes through a systematic review approach. Methods: Four databases were searched including PubMed, Virtual Health Library, Global Health Library, and Google Scholar on 27 July 2022. Additionally, a manual search was performed to identify any relevant articles that may have been missed. The quality of the included articles was rigorously assessed using the Study Quality Assessment Tools of the National Institute of Health. Results: We analyzed data from 134 articles. All 134 studies were published between 2002 and 2022, including 103 controlled intervention trials, 13 cohort studies, 7 before–after (pre–post) studies with no control group, 1 initial trial, 1 case study, 1 pilot study, and 8 two-arm studies that did not report the study design. Accordingly, most studies show positive changes in glycemic index in every group using telemedicine. Overall, although the BMI and weight indices in the studies improved at the end of the course, the improvement values were considered insignificant. Conclusion: Telemedicine may be a valuable solution for blood sugar management in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the effectiveness of telemedicine in improving BMI and quality of life is unclear.