OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of a group-based rehabilitation programme with an individual counselling programme at improving glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factors among patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We randomised 143 adult type 2 diabetes patients to either a 6-month multidisciplinary group-based rehabilitation programme or a 6-month individual counselling programme. Outcome measures included glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, lipid profile, weight, and waist circumference. RESULTS: Mean HbA1c decreased 0.3%-point (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.5 to -0.1) in the rehabilitation group and 0.6%-point (95% CI -0.8 to -0.4) among individual counselling participants (p < 0.05). Within both groups, equal reductions occurred in body weight, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, but no significant between-group differences between occurred for any of the cardiovascular outcomes. The group-based rehabilitation programme consumed twice as many personnel resources. CONCLUSION: The group-based rehabilitation programme resulted in changes in glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factor reduction that were equivalent or inferior to those of an individual counselling programme. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The group-based rehabilitation programme, tested in the current design, did not offer additionally improved outcomes and consumed more personnel resources than the individual counselling programme; its broad implementation is not supported by this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00284609.
With permission from Excerpta Medica Inc.

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