TY - JOUR T1 - Evaluating the effectiveness of a support programme for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in primary care: an observational prospective study in Ecuador JF - BJGP Open JO - BJGP Open DO - 10.3399/bjgpopen20X101025 VL - 4 IS - 2 SP - bjgpopen20X101025 AU - Francisco Barrera-Guarderas AU - Katherine De la Torre-Cisneros AU - Maria Barrionuevo-Tapia AU - Carmen Cabezas-Escobar Y1 - 2020/06/01 UR - http://bjgpopen.org/content/4/2/bjgpopen20X101025.abstract N2 - Background The success of primary health care relies on the integration of empowered practitioners with cooperative patients regardless of socioeconomic status. Using resources efficiently would help to improve healthcare promotion and reduce complications of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The importance of network support programmes relies on the fact that they allow to accurately deliver medical care by shaping a sense of community and purpose among the patients.Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of a network support programme for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Design & setting A centre-based observational prospective study took place in a primary care setting in Ecuador.Method The impact of the diabetes care programme was assessed by comparing initial and final metabolic characteristics and outcomes of 593 patients with T2DM, followed-up from April 2007 to December 2017, using paired sample t-test. Electrocardiograms (ECGs), ankle-brachial indexes (ABIs), ocular fundus, and monofilament neuropathy tests were assessed with the McNemar test to evaluate complications at the beginning and end of the study.Results Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) showed statistically significant decreases between the initial measurement (IMs) and final measurements (FMs). In the FM, significantly lower HbA1c, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and atherogenic index were found. Despite the length of time since diagnosis, during the follow-up time, long-term micro- and macro-vascular complications, such as ocular fundus, serum creatinine, and ABI, remained unchanged throughout the period of active participation in this healthcare programme.Conclusion This study demonstrates the feasibility of reducing plasma glucose, plasma lipids, and long-term complications in patients with T2DM by implementing a network support programme, which involves the medical team and patients themselves in an environment with limited resources. ER -