Implementation of intensified insulin therapy: a European perspective

The Diabetes Education Study Group (DESG) of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) was founded in 1979 with its major goal to make effective patient training an integral part of any diabetes therapy. Within the DESG, a number of models for structured diabetes treatment and teaching programmes were developed. Concerning the care of persons with Type 1 diabetes, substantial emphasis was placed upon the 5-day in-patient treatment and teaching programme for groups of 6 to 10 patients as originally introduced at the University of Geneva and further developed for general use at the University of Düsseldorf. During the early 1980s, this programme was based upon intensified insulin therapy including a stepwise liberalization of previously rigid rules for nutrition and life schedules. In several European centres the programme was continuously evaluated and shown to be effective as documented by significant reductions of glycated haemoglobin values, episodes of ketoacidosis, hospitalizations, and sick-day leaves. In contrast to the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) the improvement of glycated haemoglobin values was not associated with an increased risk of severe hypoglycaemia. Possible reasons for this favourable outcome are discussed. During recent years the 5-day treatment and teaching programme for Type 1 diabetes has been translated into the general health care system of Germany without any loss of its efficacy. In addition, in various other European countries, model centres of diabetes care have implemented the 5-day programme, and for a number of these centres, its efficacy to improve the overall quality of diabetes care has been published or presented at meetings.