The Effects of Blood Glucose Testing Versus Urine Sugar Testing on the Metabolic Control of Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Children

Glycosylated hemoglobin A_1c was measured in 43 insulin-dependent diabetic children before and after training in blood glucose testing. These measurements were compared with those obtained from a group of matched controls who tested urine sugars for the same period. Mean HbA_1c measurements for the blood glucose testing group were significantly improved at 6 mo after training in blood glucose testing, and were significantly lower than those measured in the urine sugar testing group. However, HbA_1c levels in the blood glucose testing group were well above levels for nondiabetic persons, and were generally higher than those reported for adult insulin-dependent diabetic persons following training in blood glucose testing. Explanations for this difference were considered. It was noted that 81% of the trained children accepted and continued to use blood glucose testing for at least 9 mo after training.