# WeChat-Based Intervention for Glycemic Control in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

## TL;DR

A WeChat-based health education program improved blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes patients more effectively than traditional methods, especially for vulnerable groups.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a WeChat-based intervention for improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients in primary care.

## Key findings

- The WeChat-based intervention led to a 0.59% greater HbA1c reduction compared to the control group.
- Participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in fasting blood glucose levels.
- The benefits of the intervention persisted for 2 years, with lower fasting blood glucose levels in the intervention group.

## Abstract

China’s diabetes epidemic faces critical gaps in glycemic control, with only 50.1% of treated patients achieving hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) targets in 2021. Conventional interventions struggle with scalability in primary care, particularly for vulnerable populations.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of a WeChat-based health education tool (the WeWalk mini program, the Bayu Health public account, and a WeChat group) for improving glycemic control in community-dwelling patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This multicenter randomized controlled trial enrolled 600 adults with type 2 diabetes from 3 communities in Chongqing, randomly allocating participants 1:1 to either a 12-week WeChat-based intervention (n=300, 50%) or a control group (n=300, 50%) in September 2020. The control group received 4 face-to-face traditional health education sessions, whereas the intervention group participated in a digital program: a 4-week course followed by an 8-week practical implementation. At baseline and 12 weeks after the intervention began, both groups were examined in terms of HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) as the primary outcomes, as well as variables such as blood lipid profile, blood pressure, and physical fitness–related indexes as secondary outcomes. Longitudinal glycemic control was assessed through triplicate FBG measurements extracted from standardized electronic health records at the 2-year follow-up. Independent t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess changes from baseline to follow-up between groups.

A total of 92.7% (556/600) of the participants completed the 12-week follow-up visit. The WeChat-based intervention demonstrated superior glycemic control outcomes, with intervention participants achieving a 0.59% greater HbA1c reduction than controls (−0.03% vs 0.56%; P<.001) and significant improvements in FBG levels (−0.69 vs 0.00 mmol/L; Δ=0.69; P=.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that WeChat-based health education was significantly effective in patients with diabetes with a disease duration of <10 years, educational level of junior high school or lower, and annual family income of <CN ¥50,000 (US $7172.10) . These benefits persisted throughout the 2-year follow-up, where the intervention group maintained lower FBG levels (6.87 vs 7.35 mmol/L; P=.001).

WeChat-based health education was beneficial for glycemic control in primary health care settings. However, the sustained efficacy and feasibility of this approach require further investigation.