Abstract

Guidelines for the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus often contain little information as to which is the preferred method of monitoring glucose at home.1 Although there is much enthusiasm for blood testing, previous studies have been inconclusive, probably reflecting the way patients were selected, as many have included people with poorly controlled, longstanding diabetes. Defects in patients' knowledge and diabetes education are likely to cause errors. Patients will also produce "dud results if their teachers are incompetent." We compared home testing of blood and urine in newly diagnosed patients with diabetes. All patients participated in an identical structured group education programme, beginning within a week of their diagnosis.