The Changes in Blood HbA1c Levels of the Patients with Diabetes Mellitus, Who Used Teleconsultation in the COVID-19 Pandemic

-A Single Center Study-

Abstract

We provided teleconsultation to outpatients for the purpose of infection control in the COVID-19 pandemic between March 1^st and October 31^st, 2020. The patients eligible for teleconsultation were only those who were taking oral anti-hypoglycemic agents. Doctors obtained information about patients' condition through telephone, and the patients received their regular prescriptions via fax at the nearest pharmacy. The present study examined the changes of HbA1c levels after teleconsultation on patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We enrolled 218 outpatients with DM, who used teleconsultation and analyzed changes in HbA1c levels after teleconsultation. HbA1c levels in all patients significantly decreased after teleconsultation. Patients with HbA1c levels that increased by more than 0.5% after teleconsultation were significantly younger than those with HbA1c levels that decreased by more than 0.5% after teleconsultation, suggesting that in the younger generation, lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic such as teleworking, might have reduced daily exercises. Despite a single-center study, our teleconsultation did not deteriorate HbA1c levels of patients with diabetes, who were taking oral anti-hypoglycemic agents. However, physicians should pay attention to younger, especially female, patients whether their glycemic control would be worsened at the first visit after teleconsultation use.