Connect
MJA
MJA

Glycaemic control apps for diabetes: lifting the lid

Rahul Barmanray and Esther Briganti
Med J Aust 2018; 209 (10): . || doi: 10.5694/mja18.00066
Published online: 30 July 2018

The rapidly expanding diabetes app market presents new challenges for patients, health care providers and regulators

The medical technology industry’s explosive growth has set the stage for medical mobile applications (apps) to assist with the management of many chronic diseases. Diabetes mellitus is the archetypal example: its management requires optimising diet, physical activity, blood glucose self-monitoring, and safe medication use. As a multifaceted condition affecting so many people, diabetes is the perfect target for developers of medical apps to realise the promise of the digital revolution.


  • 1 Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC


Correspondence: rahul.barmanray@mh.org.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Wu Y, Yao X, Vespasiani G, et al. Mobile app-based interventions to support diabetes self-management: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials to identify functions associated with glycemic efficacy. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2017; 5: e35.
  • 2. Arnhold M, Quade M, Kirch W. Mobile applications for diabetics: a systematic review and expert-based usability evaluation considering the special requirements of diabetes patients age 50 years or older. J Med Internet Res 2014; 16: e104.
  • 3. Bonoto BC, de Araújo VE, Godói IP, et al. Efficacy of mobile apps to support the care of patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2017; 5: e4.
  • 4. Chaudhury A, Duvoor C, Reddy Dendi VS, et al. Clinical review of antidiabetic drugs: implications for type 2 diabetes mellitus management. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8: 6.
  • 5. Rossi MC, Nicolucci A, Lucisano G, et al; DID Study Group. Impact of the “Diabetes Interactive Diary” telemedicine system on metabolic control, risk of hypoglycemia, and quality of life: a randomized clinical trial in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther 2013; 15: 670-679.
  • 6. Charpentier G, Benhamou PY, Dardari D, et al; TeleDiab Study Group. The Diabeo software enabling individualized insulin dose adjustments combined with telemedicine support improves HbA1c in poorly controlled type 1 diabetic patients: a 6-month, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, multicenter trial (TeleDiab 1 Study). Diabetes Care 2011; 34: 533-539.
  • 7. Huckvale K, Adomaviciute S, Prieto JT, et al. Smartphone apps for calculating insulin dose: a systematic assessment. BMC Med 2015; 13: 106.
  • 8. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Australian regulatory guidelines for medical devices (ARGMD), section 5. Conformity assessment overview V1.1 May 2011. https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/devices-argmd-p1-01.pdf (viewed July 2018).
  • 9. Sansom L, Delaat W, Horvath J. Review of medicines and medical devices regulation: report on the regulatory framework for medicines and medical devices. (Sansom Review; Stage One) March 2015. Commonwealth of Australia; 2015.
  • 10. European Commission. Regulatory Framework. Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/medical-devices/regulatory-framework_en (viewed Jan 2018).

Author

remove_circle_outline Delete Author
add_circle_outline Add Author

Comment
Do you have any competing interests to declare? *

I/we agree to assign copyright to the Medical Journal of Australia and agree to the Conditions of publication *
I/we agree to the Terms of use of the Medical Journal of Australia *
Email me when people comment on this article

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.