Pilot Study Using Mobile Health to Coordinate the Diabetic Patient, Diabetologist, and Ophthalmologist

Background: In the United States, more than 25 million adults have diabetes, 40% of diabetics have diabetic retinopathy, and diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people 20 to 74 years of age. Clinical trials have shown that strict control of blood glucose level and other risk factors delays diabetic retinopathy onset, progression, and vision loss. Methods: Patients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus, access to an Apple iPhone or iPad, and no psychological or medical condition that would interfere with the study participated in a nonrandomized clinical trial using SightBook™, a free mobile app that enables self-measurement of visual function and creates a password-protected web account for each patient. Results: Sixty patients enrolled in the clinical trial over a 6 month period. Twenty-six participants were men and 34 were women, with ages from 23 to 72 years (mean 45 ± 15) and diabetes duration of 1.5 to 50 years (mean 15.5 ± 11.5). Thirty-nine (65%) patients reported Type 1 diabetes and 21 (35%) patients reported Type 2 diabetes. Every patient established a personal web account on SightBook and invited participation of treating physicians; 51 (85%) patients completed the validated self-reported outcome assessments. Diabetologist examinations of 49 (82%) patients demonstrated systolic hypertension (≥140 mgHg) in 20% and hemoglobin A1c ≥ 7.0% in 56%. Ophthalmology examinations of 45 patients showed visual acuity in the worse-seeing eye of < 20/40 in 18% and diabetic retinopathy in 42% of patients. Conclusions: This clinical trial used a mobile health app to incorporate diabetic patient self-measurement of vision and coordinate the diabetic patient, diabetologist, and ophthalmologist for control of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy risk factors.